For the Love of Potions
by Little Katu-Muffin
Summary: The Jupiter/Snape story. This is a HOC-based fic (explained inside) and is fun. Jupiter is not a bad OC. LoL.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimers:  
  
Pandora Vetinari belongs to Debbie.  
Freddie Du Yorke belongs to Maddie.  
Fred and George belong to Holly.  
All Official HP Characters belong to JK Rowling.  
Snape is played by Bryan.  
Ubel Von Crackawitz belongs to Emma.  
Jupiter Vrij belongs to me.  
  
This fic is nabbed from a Harry Potter Roleplaying site, Hogwarts on Crack (HOC). So if the perspective jumps a lot, that's why. I've done my best to make everything as easy to understand as possible. Enjoy!  
  
Review if you love me. Or even if you don't. If I get enough reviews, I may *gasp* continue.  
  
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It was a day away from the ball, and Hogwarts was alive with chatter and people looking for dates. Jupiter Vrij, sixth year Slytherin Prefect, Head of Student Relations, had the perfect idea. She knew he'd be open for the dance, and boy was he handsome.  
  
"Good morning, Pandora!" Jupiter chimed as she walked into their DADA class. Pandora looked up and nodded to Jupiter, who continued talking, "How's your date-hunt going? Going with Manx yet?"  
  
"He's going with some Ravenclaw," she fumed, "So no. No, I have bigger fish to fry."  
  
"Like who?" Jupiter asked, setting down her books on the desk next to Pandora, then sitting down.  
  
"Lucius Malfoy," she said affirmatively. Jupiter snorted with laughter.  
  
"Good luck, Pandora. Really."  
  
Just then, Professor Snape came swooshing into the classroom. Several of the Slytherin girls sighed, and Jupiter fell out of her chair. Snape turned around and glared at her. She hurried back into her seat and tried not to look at anyone. "As you have been informed," said Snape, "Your usual teacher, Miss Von Crackawitz, could not make it today. She won't be here for half the week." He began to pace slowly in front of the classroom. "During that time, I am going to teach you about the Dark Arts, and how to protect yourself. No more meddling around with bugs in cages," he said, looking at the cage. It bonked and whirred defiantly. "Now, can anyone tell me what a Death-Eater is?" A girl from Slytherin raised her hand. "Yes?" said Snape. "A Death-Eater is a servant to You-Know-Who. Since You-Know-Who's downfall, many of his followers have come out of trances, been locked up in Azkaban, and some of them are still in hiding, waiting for him to return to power." Snape looked surprised. "Correct. 3 points to Gryffindor."   
  
Snape walked over to the cloth covered box. He was obviously about to do something he really didn't want to do. "And now," he said through his teeth, "Professor Crackawitz wrote this hint down for the thing in this box, which I have to read to you." he sounded extremely pained by the idea of having to do anything so embarrassing as to what he was about to do. He muttered something under his breath, looked at the ceiling, and then said in a high squeaky voice:   
  
"I am small and have wings   
And I like shiny things   
'tis humans I stings   
And this song which I sings   
  
Very fast do I fly   
Too fast for your eye   
But you will not die   
If I sting you with my   
stinger."   
  
He looked ready to kill anyone who clapped or said a word. "Now," she said, trying to forget what he had just done, "We will continue this discussion about the Death-Eater the day after tomorrow. Class dismissed." As the class left, he sat down on the desk. He looked at the cage. "I hate you."   
  
After Pandora and her hormones had recovered from Snape's marvellous entrance, she settled down to listen to his smooth, silky, sexy voice tell them about Death Eaters.  
  
Several of the Slytherins, Pandora included, glanced somewhat nervously at each other. She saw Draco sink slightly into his seat. Despite the fact most of those that came from Death eater families were quite proud of the fact, they didn't really need the fact flaunted about in the middle of an anti-dark arts class.  
  
Then things got weirder. Snape sang. In a very high voice. She stared in disbelief at her Head of House. An awkward silence followed as people jotted down the lines. Once they were dismissed, Pandora lingered slightly with some of the other girls to stare at Snape for a bit.  
  
Fred and George sat in the very back of the room just behind Draco. When Draco wasn't looking George pulled out his wand and magically undid Draco's belt and pants. Then he whispered to Fred, "Wait till the little bugger stands up!" and they both started snickering. Then, seeing that Snape is looking their way, they went back to doing their work.  
  
Jupiter came close to falling out of her chair again, only not from swooning, when Snape started singing. She began to wonder if she could do something absolutely terrible, to try and get detention with him. She decided she would.  
  
At the end of class, when everyone got up to leave, Draco's head, which was all she could see, turned a bright red and everyone started laughing, Jupiter ran up to him and saw that his pants had fallen down.  
  
Snape came over in a snit and asked Draco what had happened. Enraged and embarrassed, Draco yelled, "It-it was her, Professor Snape!" he screamed, pointing at Jupiter, "She undid my belt while I wasn't looking!"  
  
This got a huge amount of laughter from most of the class, and a few jealous stares from Slytherin girls who wished they had thought of that. Jupiter opened her mouth to protest, but shut it again in a satisfied smirk. If this didn't get her detention with Snape, she'd eat Draco's foot.   
  
The class filtered out, except for a few girls who waited by the door, either to watch Jupiter make a spectacle of herself or to swoon over Snape or Draco.  
  
"Jupiter Vrij," Snape said in his cold, dramatic way, "This is unacceptable. Slytherin will not lose any points for this, but you will have detention with me. As a matter of fact, I have some rather nasty beakers that need scrubbing right now. You may go, Mr. Malfoy."  
  
Draco gave Jupiter a smug look, but it disappeared when she returned it.  
  
Professor Snape, thoroughly peeved, turned to the girls in the doorway.  
  
"Miss Vetinari, would you and your friends care to join miss Jupiter, or would you prefer to hurry along to your next class?" he gave them a look with daggers in.   
  
The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them.  
  
"No sir, we were just waiting to see if you'd sing again."  
  
Somewhere in the back of her mind someone started playing a slow funeral march. She clamped her mouth shut, paling considerably and turned to go before she died several nasty deaths.   
  
Snape's dark eyes narrowed and his arm shot out, pulling Pandora back to stand in front of him, ignoring the small panicked squeal she made.  
  
"Well Miss Vetinari," he said glaring down at her, his voice dripping with icy malice "If you're that keen to keep on eye on my actions, you can join Miss Vrij and myself in the dungeon this evening. I dare say I can find enough tasks for the two of you to occupy your time with."  
  
He glanced from one girl to the other.  
  
"I'll see you two ladies tonight then." he said in an almost threatening whisper, before turning and storming out the classroom, black robes billowing out behind him.  
  
Pandora turned and gave Jupiter a sheepish grin "......Oops?"   
  
Fred and George passed Jupiter on the way out and whispered, "Well that worked out well for everyone now didn't it?" and left the room, smiling.  
  
Freddie nervously packed all of his notes and books into his fluffy pink bag. He hurriedly got up and tried to quickly prance past Snape without fainting or anything stupid like that, but in all clumsiness, and high heels, Freddie tripped on Snape's robes, and a loud tearing sound spreads throughout the room like some sadistic cacophony. Freddie's bag went flying through the air and landed a few feet away with a loud smack. Freddie peered up at Snape, a look of sheer terror in his eyes.  
  
Snape was really getting annoyed. He glared at Freddie and noticed his outfit. His eyebrow quirked curiously, but his face was still lined with rage.  
  
"And you, my fine feathered faerie, can join these two girls in detention. And if one more person bothers me, it'll be double detention for the lot of you, and extra homework for the class!!"   
  
Freddie looked beyond shocked, his eyes started to fill up with tears and he began a pathetic display. "No! I can't believe it!!" He got on his knees and bawled with his face in his hands. "No! no! No!!!!"  
  
Jupiter stands back, giggling as Snape gives Freddie a cold look and swooshes off. Jupiter approached Freddie and knelt by the melodramatic young fellow.   
  
"You could have tripped in such a way that his robes came off, you know. I wouldn't have minded," she whispered.   
  
"I tried!" he protested, getting up and dusting himself off. Then he pranced away to get changed for detention. 


	2. Chapter 2

Jupiter walked into the detention hall. She was, she knew, 15 minutes early for her detention with Professor Snape, but she didn't care. She sat down at a desk and pulled out a mirror. She stood it up on the desk in front of her, and began perfecting her appearance. She wanted to look good for detention.  
  
King, who was sweeping in the detention hall at the time, spied the girl sitting at the desk primping.  
  
"Good afternoon, miss," he said, walking up to her.   
  
"Hello King!" she said happily, "I'm just waiting for Professor Snape to come in. Pandora and Freddie aren't here yet either." King nodded quietly.  
  
A dark figure loomed in the doorway of the detention hall, scrutinizing its occupants with cold, fathomless eyes. He stepped in slowly; his robes billowing like an ebony cascade behind him. He glanced momentarily at King, giving him a quick nod of recognition. He walked briskly towards the head of the hall, seating himself abruptly in the desk positioned there. He glimpsed up for a moment, surveying the occupants again, than delving into an array of documents upon the desk.   
  
"Hello, Mr. Snape, good to see you," King turned to Jupiter, "Well, I've got to go now, I'll be seeing you around."  
  
He walked past Snape and out the door.   
  
Jupiter waved goodbye to King and sat up straight in her seat, brushing some imaginary lint off her chest, and then stood. She would have to nerve herself for this. She'd been mentally gearing herself for it all day, and by gods, she was going to do it. She took a deep breath to steady herself. She wasn't consciously aware of it, but six years of pent-up infatuation was all resting on this one event. If it came out well, she'd be more delighted than ever. If it fell through...she didn't even want to think about that.  
  
She walked swiftly over to the desk where Snape was searching through papers and cleared her throat politely.  
  
"And what on earth do you want?" Snape asked irritably, looking up at her.  
  
"Well, Professor Snape...I wanted to know," her face burned red and she cast her eyes downwards as a nervous, embarrassed smile crept onto her face, "Will you go to the ball with me?"   
  
He heart pounded hard in her ears, and she knew she must be blushing. Please say yes, she thought, please oh please!  
  
Snape's expression went stark, as the girl muttered her question. His cold ebony eyes glazed over, transforming into a bland look and his sallow complexion seemed to pale even more, his skin appearing strangely translucent. His eyes seemed to stare straight through Jupiter, not directly at her. He'd noticed her a lot in his classes. She was his pet student, and she always got A+'s. Not to mention that she was extremely pretty, in his eyes, with her long black hair and her piercing blue eyes. He was quite fond of her, but it was only as a student...wasn't it?  
  
Oh gods, though Jupiter, I actually did it, I've gone and asked him. And now he's going to say no! The adrenaline that had gotten her this far filtered away.  
  
"Jupiter…er, Ms. Vrij," He stammered. Was the incredulous Snape finally at a loss for a backlash? His raven eyes glanced down towards the array of paper littered across the desk. He was searching desperately for a way out. His eyes slowly trailed back up towards the girl's lovely sapphire. It had been so long since any woman had ever paid him attention in the slightest, and now here he was, being asked to a school function by one of the prettier girls in Slytherin, a chance he would have died for when he was a teenager. Yet, he was no longer a teenager. Could he allow himself to do this one thing? This one harmless thing? His inner child begged and pleaded, do it. The man inside Severus Snape, not the cold, cruel professor, but the unloved, scorned man said yes. Yes he could. But...No, it was all too hard, all too soon. For all he knew, she was only doing it on a dare. He was probably reading too much into it. Yet somehow, it didn't seem so...  
  
"…I highly doubt that such a thing would be…appropriate," He managed to utter softly, his silky voice loosing all emotion. He glanced away immediately, unwilling to meet the child's eyes. His stood abruptly, turning away and walking towards the door briskly.  
  
""Ms. Vrij, when your colleagues arrive will you please come down to my class room. I shall meet you there," and thus Severus Snape uncomfortably retreated.  
  
Jupiter looked crestfallen. Tears welled up in her blue eyes and she resisted the urge to break out into sobs. She knew, deep down, that he would say no. He was, after all, a teacher. But he had seemed reluctant in his answer. Jupiter thought about it, clinging to her last bit of hope. Maybe he only said no because it was...appropriate. She hated the word. Now, more than ever. She blinked the tears out of her eyes and pondered sitting down and waiting for her classmates.  
  
She decided that it was more important to wait in here for her classmates than to leave, crying, about something that no one would understand. They would chide her for being so ridiculous in the first place. Maybe she was just a silly little girl, in the throes of teenage mood swings, but she felt the way she felt. She l...liked Severus Snape very much. She sat down and cried silently into her hands.   
  
Jupiter was torn inside. Obey, or follow her emotions? She had to talk to him. Talking was always the answer. But she didn't want to disobey. She also knew that once she got there, there wouldn't be any talk of what had happened. There would only be tension and pain. But it was tension and pain with him there. She got to her feet resolutely and ran out of the room, hoping no one would noticed her teary face. The running soothed her raging emotions.   
  
Severus was rushing like a mad man toward the confines of his office. There he would be safe from the prying azure eyes of that girl; that horrid girl. What types of indescribable thoughts were rushing through his mind? He shook his head firmly, his silken ebony hair swaying obediently with the motion.   
  
He reached his office in due time, and he threw open the wooden door with great force, slamming the door hastily behind him. He collapsed forcefully against the wooden structure, relieving some of the pent up emotion with in him. His stone cold veneer was beginning to disintegrate like mad. That succubus was draining him for all he was worth. He placed a shaking hand to his forehead, brushing flecks of sweat away vigorously. This was grating heavily on his touchy nerves.   
  
He had to brush these inappropriate feelings away, before something he would regret would occur. He was respectable professor; respectable professors did not have relations with students. He shook his head again, more heartily this time. He had to rid his mind of these impure thoughts. They were clouding his thinking…  
  
There was a sudden knock upon the door that forcefully pulled him from his reverie. His eyes widened. Who could possibly be here? Perhaps it was a teacher, yes a teacher. He straightened himself up, attempting to pull himself together.  
  
"Hello…" His voice trailed off straight away after opening the door. It was she. Her crestfallen cobalt eyes gazed up at him imploringly. He sighed greatly, yet opened the door further for her to step in. He was about to close the door, but he changed his mind and left it slightly ajar.   
  
"Yes, Ms. Vrij, how may I help you," He managed out normally, hoping this conversation would not lead where it was destined to go.  
  
Jupiter opened her mouth to speak, but shut it again. She realized she didn't know what to say.  
  
How could Jupiter put to words what she was going through? It would, without doubt, be stupid of her to tell him everything. It seemed wrong to look him in the face and let all the things she felt come rushing from her heart and out her lips.  
  
Her eyes were burning with the tears she dared not cry. Her heart was burning with the feelings she dared not feel. Her mouth was burning with the words she dared not say.  
  
Nothing good ever came of pouring your heart out to someone. It relieves you for a second, but only for a second, because afterwards you sit, in that awkward silence, and your heart dies a thousand times waiting to hear those confirming words, that one phrase that you can't live without.  
  
She'd been through it before, but never so seriously as this. This, above all things, could never be. Despite her great efforts at control, at that thought she burst out with a great sob and, embarrassed, hid her face in her hands. She regained her composure as best as she could and looked back up at Snape.  
  
"Um," she said, and forced herself to look into his cold face. Her heart was going crazy, she wanted to faint, to escape this. But there was no hiding from her feelings. They would still be there when she awoke, and stronger the next time she saw him.  
  
"I know I'm being silly," she began, but cut herself off. Never say what you think the other person is feeling, you may be right.  
  
"I, um..." she bit her lip, and continued, "I wish you could go with me."  
  
It was feeble and it didn't even scratch the surface of her seething pain and hope. It was all she could think of. She could only hope that he could sense her feelings from the look in her eyes, which were still blurred with tears. She blinked them away, angry at herself for being so ridiculous, but still more came.   
  
Snape's previous words caught in his throat, at the sight of the tears staining her cheeks. He was going to lash at her, tell her that this was crazy, that this was impossible. Yet, now all he wanted to was pull her into his arms, and tell her everything would be alright. He was mad.  
  
He turned his face away from her, closing his eyes momentarily. He had to clear his mind and gazing into her eyes was helping none. He took a deep breath and exhaled instantaneously.   
  
"Ms. Vri...Jupiter, this is..." He stammered, pausing momentarily. Her eyes seemed to be welling up again. Oh, why was she doing this? Couldn't she fall for a man her age? Couldn't she be 35? He heaved a sigh and then took a deep breath.  
  
"I am sorry, yet you know the rules. I can not break them for any reason..." He responded slowly, advancing upon her slowly. His dark raven eyes connecting with hers, a strange indistinguishable emotion stirring within.   
  
"I'm sorry," He whispered, merely an inch away from her. His mind was screaming at him to back away, or else all would be lost. Yet, he couldn't back away. He just couldnt.   
  
Jupiter was weak with emotion. His voice was telling her it was impossible, but his body language told an entirely different story. She couldn't move, she was too saturated with feelings. Hope, fear, depression, obsession, lust held her tight to the spot. She looked up at him with jewels of hopeful tears in her eyes. He was standing only an inch away, she could feel the warmth of his body, his sweet breath on her face.  
  
She shut her eyes and her chest shook with sobs, and she was so weak in the knees at having him so close that she could have collapsed, there and then. But she stood her ground, and forced her eyes open, lingering on his sharp features.   
  
Severus drew in sharply, as the Jupiter visibly fought back her emotions before him. They were so close, only mere breaths apart. Yet, it seemed an entire planet separated him. A gap he shouldn't attempt to weather, he reminded himself, it would only lead to hardships and pain; which was the last thing he desired.  
  
His ebony eyes narrowed on the girl's, as numerous thoughts on the situation ran through his mind. But there she was, so close to him...She smelled strongly of mint, combined with pheremones, which made his head spin, made his hands tingle, made his heartbeat hasten in his chest. His reasoning was beginning to fade fast and if he did not soon find an escape from this, he would be kicking himself greatly afterwards. Why was he still here? That questioned echoed endlessly in his head. There were many reasons why, yet all more unlikely than the last.   
  
He shook his attention from thought and focused it back upon the girl. His raven-hued eyes softened unmistakably for the first time in a long while. A gaunt hand was raised from his side and brought to the girl's face, as he brushed a few strands away from her charming cheek. He could hear her breath quicken at his touch and he pulled away instantly. This was wrong. She shouldn't be in this office and he should be dispensing her, her detention. He turned away rapidly, his long black robes swishing with the sudden movement.   
  
"You shall be exempted from your detention, Ms. Vrij, please return to your dormitory," He stated, almost pleaded. He couldn't allow this to happen, he was going to stop. And tomorrow when he saw her, it would be like normal. A professor addressing a student, nothing more.  
  
Jupiter's heart fell again. So...close...so close they were almost touching, and she had let him get away. She couldn't take it anymore and burst into tears. Crying, she didn't know if she should leave or stay. She wanted to leave, to run away forever and never come back. Maybe go into the forest and live there. Or, if she was lucky, die there. She wanted to get away from this awful man she felt so much for, to get away from everyone who could never understand.  
  
But she couldn't bear the thought of being away from him. She slid down the wall she'd been standing by, and sat down, her head resting on her knees. She couldn't leave. People would see her cry, and think her weak. Or worse, they might ask why, and then she might tell them, and...she couldn't even finish her train of thought, but sobbed harder and curled up tighter in anger at herself and pain.   
  
Severus did not hear the retreating footsteps that he so wanted to hear exiting his room. Instead, he heard a stifled sob and the crumpling of the girl against the wall. Snape brought his hands to his head, delving for shelter from the situation he had driven straight into. It was his fault that girl was in tears and he felt like a monster. But, he thought to himself, would I feel more like a monster if I comforted her, took her in my arms and kissed the tears away? Wouldn't I feel more terrible if the scent of mint and girl drove me to do things I know I would regret?  
  
He growled and turned around in frustration. Facing the girl, his innards melting upon the sight of her. She looked devastated, how could he be so cold? So cold to a girl who had, in the six years he'd known her, shown him nothing but intelligence and kindness. He took a few steps forward, considering his next actions. He could get in serious trouble. He could be fired, arrested, hurt. Jupiter's shoulders shook with sobs. Tears that Snape had brought on fell to the flagstones. Screw it, screw everyone! He bellowed in his head, he was acting like a bumbling idiot.   
  
He knelt down beside her, hesitating for a moment. But, slowly, he wrapped an arm about her shoulder, hugging her to him, as he gently stroked her raven hair. He swallowed hard, this was quite awkward, but for once in his life, he didn't feel out of place.   
  
Jupiter leaned into him, and it felt like a dam burst inside of her. Her tears came harder and faster, tears of relief. She shook uncontrollably and buried her face into his shoulder. His robes smelled of dungeon and chemicals, but at this moment it was like roses, it was the best smell in the world, and Jupiter loved it. After a while the tears wouldn't come anymore and she sighed deeply. No words were needed right now. Something that she had been dying for, going after for six years had finally happened. She could have died happy at that moment, resting there in his arms.  
"Thank you," she whispered.   
  
Snape's eyes widened, as the girl fell back into him. His usual thoughts of "What in bloody hell are you doing," ran from his mind, letting way for fear and uncertainty. He may be much older than the girl, yet she was most likely more experienced in this province than he would ever be. He and women were like water and oil, they contradicted upon meeting and were much happier upon departure. Now, here he was with a young woman in his arms, and he had no idea what to do. This was most likely the stickiest situation he had ever taken part in.   
  
He sighed and shifted slightly, not taking his arms from around the girl. He wasn't quite ready to remove himself from his illicit bliss, just yet. Also, he wasn't ready to do any more. He quite frankly would never be. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the cold stone wall, the coldness seemingly fading in light of the events. The man inside him was happy, and the rest of him was content to allow this...for now.  
  
Jupiter's pounding emotions settled down, and she was filled with an overwhelming sense of peace, and happiness. She took one of Severus's hands in her own and admired it. Jupiter had a soft spot for beautiful hands, and rarely had she seen better than the ones Snape had. He had long, tapered fingers and defined wrist bones. His hands were cold, and trembling slightly. She rubbed his hand with her two warm ones, trying to drive away the cold.  
  
She pressed his fingertips to her forehead and shut her eyes. It was so nice to feel and smell his skin. She moved his hands down and brushed the back of it with her cheek, and she kissed his wrist gently.  
  
She turned her head up and looked at his face. His expression was hard to read, but he had his eyes shut and looked drained. She put her head on his shoulder and gazed up at him. She ran her fingers along his cheek, he had such soft skin!   
  
Severus shivered visibly at her touch. She obviously could not see the potent effect she was having on the man. More than his hands were getting tingly at her entrancing smell, her feminine touch. His logical side was sending up warning signals. Now, it was he who wanted to run. He wanted to rid himself of this place and the siren that was calling to him so vociferously. He couldn't budge, however. He could try with all his might, yet he knew he was trapped in this woman's grasp. Hopefully, she would not learn that she had the man under her spell. God knows he wouldn't be able to stop himself from finishing anything she started.  
  
She turned to face him totally, and leaned her head on his shoulder. He could feel her hot breath on his neck, and it was sending electricity through him. His ebony eyes opened slowly, glancing down at the girl. Her smell intoxicating him, it was sending him higher than he had been before. His logical side began screaming, and a sense of urgency filled him. He had to leave; he had to get out of there before he lost himself. He untangled himself from Jupiter's grasp, and stood without ado. He helped her to her feet and turned away once more.   
  
"I must go. Please, tell your friends in detention that they are exempted," He stated, his voice husky and breathless. He was still attempting to recover from the recent events. With his brief statement of farewell, he was off with a billow of black robes.   
  
Jupiter was hurt, but not much more so. She was hurt in the way you are upset when someone wakes you from a nice dream in a warm bed and drags you out into the colder air of reality.  
  
She gathered her wits about her. She fixed her hair the best she could without a mirror, and walked to the door. She had a thought, and ran back to his desk. She grabbed a piece of paper, and began writing. The she dropped the note on the desk.  
  
She strode out of the room in her normal, dignified way.  
  
Then the room was empty of her, save for a lingering scent of the mint perfume she wore and a note bearing the message:  
  
"Thank you a thousand times, I can't wait to see you again.  
  
Love,  
Jupiter"  
  
***  
  
Lacci had seen the whole thing, hiding outside the doorway. She hadn't really taken it in. She didn't understand it. But she understood one thing. She skipped after Snape, who was walking quickly down the hallway. Soon she was 3 feet away from him.  
  
"Will you go to the ball with me?"  
  
Snape gave her a frightened look.  
  
"Only asking..." she said, shrugging offendedly and backing away.   
  
***  
  
As the day dragged on, Jupiter got more and more restless, yearning to be back with her professor, wrapped in his warmth, surrounded by him. She began to get depressed, and horribly aware of how addicted she'd become to him, in such a short time.  
  
She curled up in a corner of the Slytherin common room, feeling sorry for herself. Lacci bounded over and poked her knee.  
  
"Joopie-Woopie, why so gloopie?"  
  
"I need to talk to Snape."  
  
"Oh," Lacci said simply. She thought for a moment, a hard thing for her to do, "Here, I fix! Take my jacket and go! Go to the Three Broomsticks!" and Lacci tossed her cloak onto Jupiter's head and ran off. Dazed, Jupiter stood and put the cloak on. Then she got up, and headed to Hogsmeade. It was probably not allowed, but she would do it anyway.  
  
*** 


	3. Chapter 3

Jupiter walked into the Three Broomsticks and sat down in a booth by herself. She had her sister's cloak on, and she pulled the hood down. Her hair was mussed from the wind and the hood. Jupiter licked her hand and tried to smooth the errant hairs down. She wasn't sure she wanted to buy anything, so she just sat there by herself. She pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil from the depths of Lacci's coat. She kept all sort of random amusements in it. She began to draw.   
  
The door of the Three Broomsticks opened and closed heavily. Severus stepped in, shivering from the cold outdoors. He loosened his cloak however, the heat emitting from the large fire would soon come to his aid. He glanced around, suddenly coming to the realization he had no idea why he was here. He heard Lacci screaming about him getting to the Three Broomsticks, why the hell did he listen?   
  
His eye caught a familiar head of long raven hair. He groaned inwardly, now he understood why he was here. If he had been in his right mind, he would have turned on his heels and stormed out of the forsaken tavern. Yet, curiosity killed the cat, and he wasn't going to wrong the saying.   
  
He breathed in deeply and exhaled in due time. Gathering up the last wits about him, he made his way over to the booth through the bustling crowd. Madam Rosmerta gave him a quizzical glance, yet he just looked away. He was confused as well, how could he explain.  
  
He stopped at the table, clearing his throat to gain the girl's attention.  
  
"Excuse me," He asked, sound a little too annoyed. He rolled his eyes at himself, and retried his entrance.  
  
"Er...I mean, what is it, Jupiter," He asked, sounding a little more nervous than he meant to. He was really messing up at the moment, so he decided to wait in silence, for the girl's reply.   
  
Jupiter did not look up from her drawing when she heard the door open. She didn't look up when she heard footsteps drawing closer. But when she heard Snape's unhappy-sounding voice, her head snapped up.  
  
She avoided eye contact with him, and feigned confidence, "I though Lacci might have meant this. Have a seat," she said, and he sat. "She saw me in the common room. I told her I wanted to talk to you, and she sent me out here with her cloak."  
  
Snape stayed silent, and she turned away from her drawing, a heart behind bars with thorns in it. She looked up at his face, which was wrought with confusion. Her confident demeanor melted and she smiled at him. She wasn't entirely sure how to continue, so she said, "How has your day been?"   
  
Severus gazed at the girl, attempting futilely to shove all emotion from his dark onyx eyes. He was at a loss however, and had to settle for confusion. It was better than the other emotions, however. Severus could sense the wavering confidence of her side of the table, if he had been speaking she would have heard the same.   
  
He ignored her question and narrowed his eyes on her, scrutinizing her. What else did she want from him? He had done the unthinkable already and now she was milking it for all it was worth. What was her game?  
  
"What do you wish to speak with me about, Ms. Vrij?" He growled, his usually dark voice lowering.   
  
Jupiter sighed. She was tired of hiding herself, and she leaned forward so that she was almost touching Snape's nose. "Okay. I like you. You like me. It's just the way things are. Let's stop pretending it's not, all right? No more games, no more acts. I have nothing to hide from you and I can't see that you have anything to hide from me."  
  
She almost kissed him, then and there, but decided against it and leaned back.   
  
Severus froze as Jupiter came within inches of his face. His dark eyes scanned her now, sitting safely in her seat. He had realized her game, a little game of seduce the bitter teacher. She was playing him the fool. His black eyes grew cold and flared slightly.   
  
"It wouldn't be wise to assume as much, Ms. Vrij," He hissed, grabbing on to her wrist, being sure to catch her attention. He had obviously caught the girl by surprised, for her eyes seemed to widen. He still kept his voice low, now it was a menacing growl.  
  
"I am a professor, my dear. Not a love-starved git. I will not be in that manner, either. Is this understood?" He released Jupiter, and stood abruptly, smoothing his robes.  
  
"Good day," He growled, as he marched out the door in a huff.   
  
Jupiter sat in shock for a moment. Did he mean it? Maybe he didn't, and it was all over... Wait a minute. What happened in his office was not the actions of a man who was not interested. Jupiter rushed out after Snape and caught up with him.  
  
"Stop it!" she yelled, stomping her foot down. Snape looked surprised and stopped. The streets were relatively empty, and dusk was falling.  
  
"Listen, Severus!" she said, surprised at herself, "I went out on a limb for you!" she was saying it more loudly than normal, but she wasn't yelling anymore. She didn't want to make a scene.  
  
"I opened myself up to you, and for a while I thought you'd opened up to me, too. Truth be told, I've liked you since the moment I met you, okay?" Jupiter's voice cracked, but she kept going, "And there's nothing in the world I want more than to be with you, but if you don't want to accept the fact that someone might actually have strong feelings for you, then it's more impossible than I thought!!"  
  
Jupiter stood there, bristling with rage, eyes filled with spite at being stung so badly by someone she lo...she couldn't force herself to say the word. How did she know it was even true?  
  
Severus was shocked. She had followed him. By Merlin's beard, the girl was following him. His dark eyes merely scanned the girl, unfazed, as she scolded him for his strange behavior. Then it struck him. She was serious, she truly did have feelings for him, not just some foolish school girl crush. He closed the gap between them in seconds, his hand clutching on to Jupiter's arms.   
  
"Do you not understand, Jupiter? This is wrong. I'm probably twenty years your senior, you should be falling for some drooling school boy, not me," He growled, his voice escalating with irritation. Why couldn't she stop? Why couldn't she just turn away? Why the hell did she have to choose him, of all the bloody men in the world, why him?! He was so wrong for her...  
  
"I will not allow you to throw your life away, like this," He stated, his voice softening, as his face slowly came closer to hers. He was going mad, that must be why he was still here holding the girl, he was raving mad. He was so mad, in fact, that he was about to kiss her.  
  
"I won't let you..." He stammered, his ebony eyes delving deeply into her icy blues. He closed his eyes momentarily as he shook his head lightly. He cared all too much to do this to the girl, that was the problem. He cared. He lowered his arms and backed away. He gazed at her one last time, before he turned and continued on his way.   
  
Jupiter was really getting upset.  
  
"Stop walking away from me!" she said, running after him and pulling him around to face her, "I know perfectly well it's wrong and inappropriate, I came to terms with THAT my second year!" she was glad that the streets were empty, because she was yelling, despite herself.  
  
"But I just don't care anymore! I can't go through my life, denying the way I feel, just because people who aren't going through what I am think that it's inappropriate!" Jupiter spat the despised word out. She could have slapped the man standing before her, she was so frustrated.  
  
"You can try to stop me from being close to you, even from talking to you, but you can't stop me from loving you!!" she shouted. She took a mental step back. She hadn't meant to say it, but in her anger and frustration it had said itself. Well, she wasn't about to take it back. And she wasn't going to go through any silly am-I-really-in-love questioning. She felt like she loved him and that was damn good enough for her.  
  
Love. She had said it, the one thing he feared more than the Dark Lord himself. It was love. He wasn't the one who was mad, it was her. She was in love with a dejected bitter man.  
  
"No..." He whispered quietly, glaring at her with a shocked expression. She couldn't do this; she couldn't fall in love with him. For all the gold in Gringotts, she couldn't fall in love with him.   
  
"No! Stop it, you're talking like a madman. You can yell and scream all you want, but the world will always remain the same. The world will always be cruel and unforgiving, Jupiter. You won't always get your way," His voice was higher, as if he was attempted to drive the information into her mind. Now, instead of feeling better, he felt worse. This was killing him. It was doing it very slowly, but it was killing him all the same.   
  
"Why don't you go hate me like all the other children do? Ridicule me behind my back, curse me, do anything, but don't…don't love me. I'm not worth that, you…you deserve better. Now please, let me go," He implored, a sadness dripping into his gloomy voice, as he placed a shaking hand toward her cheek, granting it a single caress. He turned away, walking briskly, hoping this was the end of the conversation. He couldn't bear much more this night.   
  
Jupiter watched him walk away. She been turned away from again.  
  
"You're just like everyone else!" she screamed at his retreating back, "The moment they see who I am inside, what I really feel and really think, they turn their back on me!"   
  
Tears were streaming down her face openly. She really hated herself now, for opening up to him in the first place. She should have known. She should have known.  
  
"Fine!" Jupiter wasn't done yelling yet, "Just leave me like everyone else! And I hope you're perfectly happy now, alone, because if you push away everything good from your life, that's the way you'll be forever!" She stopped yelling, as he was probably out of earshot.  
  
She sank to the dusty ground, crying and sobbing to herself, "Oh, I wish this ball had never come up! I wish I hadn't asked to talk to him! I wish I were dead..."  
  
After a short while, Jupiter got up, still sniffling, and walked back to Hogwarts in the dark.  
  
***  
  
Manx walked into the empty Attic. Jupiter had asked him to meet her up here. She wanted to talk to him, but he didn't know what about. He sat down on the purple sofa and waited. Finally she appeared in the doorway, wearing a cloak and looking miserable.  
  
"Hi Manx," she said, walking in and sitting on the couch next to him. She curled up under his shoulder sadly, and he wrapped his arms around her.   
  
"What did you want to talk about, Jupiter? Why are you sad?" Manx asked her, though he probably knew the answer. Jupiter only got this way if she was having Boy Troubles.   
  
"It's Severus...er...Professor Snape," she said.  
  
Aha! thought Manx.  
  
"You see, today I asked him to the ball and..." Jupiter proceeded to tell him everything that had happened so far.  
  
"I hate it when people go away from me," she said, crying into Manx's neck, "Why did he have to be like everyone else? I thought he was different, Manx, I thought it would all be okay! Why didn't I know? Why did I open up to him?"   
  
Manx hugged her tightly.  
  
"It'll be all right, I'm sure he'll come to..."  
  
But Manx thought quite differently than what he said. He'd never come to. Men never did. Especially men Jupiter chose. He loved Jupiter more than almost anything, but she had horrible taste in men. First there was Jessica. Granted, she wasn't a boy, but she was very abusive. That was when Jupiter was twelve. By the time she and Jessica broke up, she was fourteen. Then, later that year, it was a fellow named Paul, who was clearly just interested in sex, but Jupiter loved him. There were countless others she'd been with. She given her body, her mind, and her heart to them fully, and they'd crushed her. And she kept on doing it.  
  
Now she was infatuated with that horrible Snape. He treated her like dirt, and yet she was still devoted to him. She followed him around, begging for him to love her, and all he ever did was kick her in the face. Manx had sworn not to mess with any of Jupiter's boyfriends at her request, but he was sick of seeing her hurt. He would have a little chat with Snape later on.  
  
"Jupiter, love, it's almost 1 AM. We both need sleep," Manx whispered when she'd stopped crying.   
  
Jupiter wiped her eyes on her sleeve and stood up.  
  
"Thank you for being there for me, Manx," she said, and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back, and they both left for their rooms.   
  
***  
  
Severus threw the door to his office open for the second time that night, slamming it shut forcefully behind him. His searing eyes gazed about the room, almost begging for someone to oppose him, to tell him that what he did was wrong, and that he was only lying to himself. Fortunately, he was alone. He was always alone.   
  
Everything that had come out of Jupiter's mouth that evening was correct, and he would be the last to doubt it. He was a fool. An ignorant bastard, even. He couldn't see a good thing standing right before his eyes. She was most likely everything he needed, yet he shoved it away, just like every other pleasure in his life. He was unworthy. He would always be unworthy of the joys of life, for he had aided in taking them away from the innocent.   
  
He growled, as he glanced down at his cursed arm. How could he have known the sins of his past would haunt him like an ever-present specter to this day? He could still hear the lingering screams, they echoed endlessly in his cursed mind. Sometimes he wished he had died in his spying. He wished more than anything, that he could have died valiantly for the greater good, instead of living on in the lasting memory of the past. Instead, he was here now, cursing the life of another in a far deadlier way.   
  
He walked slowly to his desk, yanking the chair from beneath it. He sat himself down with a despondent sigh and buried his head in his hands. Oh God, what a fool he was.  
  
(a/n: Sorry to break up the serious mood, but Miss Buffy Anne Vida decided, in the RPG, to come right in. It's too funny to delete. Keep in mind, I've corrected her numerous spelling errors and taken away her asterisks.)  
  
A girl opened the door slowly. "Hi! I am new here. My name is Buffy. I was just wondering where I might find my common room or someone who could help me find my common room," she said, and sat down in a chair.  
  
Snape glanced up at the girl with bloodshot eyes. He looked like a complete wreck. He sighed and pushed away from the desk. Duty calls always at the most inopportune times.   
  
"I suggest you make your way toward the Great Hall," Severus groaned, his voice strained and uneven. He placed a hand toward his forehead. Why the hell was she here now? It was about; he glanced at the wooden clock propped against his desk, nine o'clock.  
  
"You will most likely find a Slytherin there, they will direct you toward the common room. I would do it myself, but I am a bit tied up at the time," He stated, motioning a slightly shaky hand toward his paper littered desk.   
  
He lead the girl toward the door, opening it for her.  
  
"I apologize I can be no further help to you," He said, motioning for her exit. After she departed, he returned to his desk. Groaning, and dropping into the seat once more, he glanced about. All truth be told, he had no work at the time. But following around a new student was not something he could handle at the moment.   
  
He began to rifle through the papers, searching for perhaps something he could occupy his weary mind with, when suddenly a sheet dropped out, floating gently toward the floor. He leaned over to pick it up, yet upon seeing the scrawled handwriting he wished he hadn't.  
  
"Thank you a thousand times, I can't wait to see you again.  
  
Love,  
Jupiter"  
  
The crumpled sheet only reminded him of his stupidity ever the more. He stood abruptly; he had to leave the room. Walk about a bit, perhaps a glance in at the detention hall. They always seemed to need a bit of help down there; and the work would get his mind off his worries. At least for a little while. He departed.  
  
Buffy ran back into the room and plopped back into the chair, "I am not a Slytherin. I am a Gryffindor. What should I do?"  
  
Professor Übel Severo En Haut Tendu Chiffon Feiticeira Madula Madona Onde Fullstendig De Von Crackawitz opened the door curiously. She saw the girl sitting, and wondered why she was there. Ubel had bumped into Snape in the hallway, he seemed upset. Oh dear, she thought. "Excuse me, child, can I help you?"   
  
Ubel looked a lot like a 6th year, but her clothing and the tone in her voice told anyone who cared that she was a teacher.   
  
Buffy looked up. "Yes, please I am new to Hogwarts and don't remember my password. I am in Gryffindor. Can you help?" she looked back at Snape, "Can you help me?"  
  
The professor stared at the girl. This Gryffindor girl had come to the head of Slytherin with her problem? Was she suicidal? Of course, she was speaking to someone who had left all ready, perhaps she was mentally unstable. "Er, I think you've come to the wrong person, dear. Next time, go to the Headmistress's Office, or another one of the teachers. Professor Snape has been a bit.... tired recently. Now what's your name?" she asked, leading the girl outside.  
  
(Miss Buffy later came back in to say this [non-edited]:  
  
*comes back into the room after 3 hours and sits down in a chair and crys.* I still do not know where to go and I am crying. I have never cried before. *sits in the room siletly. something is weird in here. It keeps drawing her back.*) 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer/Explanation:  
  
Gwen belongs to Hannah  
Manx belongs to me.  
Manx and Gwen are dating.  
  
Headnotes:  
* = Jupiter slept with Manx's head of house to keep him from being expelled for beating up a Slytherin. Manx was furious.  
--------------  
The next morning, Professor Snape strode into the detention hall. It was empty, save for a fifth year Ravenclaw.   
  
"Ah, yes...Miss Le Fey," he sighed, wearily. He'd gotten precious little sleep last night, "Follow me."  
  
Severus strode into the darkened classroom, lighting a few torches with his wand on the way in. Trusting that Gwen was behind him, he continued walking towards the head of the class. Turning towards a large wooden door at the front, he uttered an incantation. The lock clicked and the door swung open. Within was a treasure trove of ingredients for potions rising up toward the ceiling, everything imaginable was contained within. In one little corner, a little sink was positioned. Various pots and vials lay scattered about it. He motioned to it with a wave of his hand.  
  
"This is your detention. No magic is allowed, and make sure they are very clean. I shall be checking them," He ordered with a sneer. He then focused his attention upon a few disordered ingredients, leaving the girl to her job.   
  
Gwen followed quietly. She was intimidated by Snape, despite the fact that she had requested him for detention. But she had to know. She worked silently for a few minutes. She thought of the best way to approach the task she had assigned herself. Gwen was a troublemaker. But not in a Weasley way. She was very subtle, and almost never did anything that could lose her points or give her detention (charms class had been the exception).  
  
"Professor Snape, sir," she said, her voice trembling a little despite her efforts to control it.   
  
Snape turned sharply, his dark eyes glaring daggers at the girl. She was in detention, she wasn't supposed to talk to him! He was finally starting to relax slightly, and the Ravenclaw girl had to ruin it. He sighed angrily.  
  
"What do you want?" He snapped spitefully, not moving from his spot, his eyes remaining upon the girl. This better be damn important for interrupting him, pretty God damn important.  
  
Gwen quailed slightly under his gaze, but steeled herself. There were no rules against talking, or against what she was about to say. She kept telling herself, however frightening Snape might look, he couldn't do anything to her.  
  
"Sir...it's only that...I'm worried about a friend of mine. You see, I think something has been bothering her all day, and I don't want her to be unhappy. And I've been noticing some things sir, and heard some things, and..." she paused and took a deep breath, but kept on before Snape could say anything. "I was wondering what's been going on between you and Jupiter."   
  
Severus's eyes glazed over with a enraged fire. He had to fight back the sudden urge to slowly disembowel the child before him. Then a horrid thought over came him. If this girl knew about such, what about the rest of the students? Was it public knowledge? He could see his job fluttering away on swift wings, never to return again.   
  
"How did you..." He growled, and paused. He had to compose himself, he couldn't look too angry or it would be obvious that there was something to hide. Just act cool, act like bitter Snape would in this situation.  
  
"Nothing, nothing at all. And if you choose to believe all the rumors you hear about me, you are on your way to making this your nightly observance," He snapped gruffly, making a point that he wanted to end all discussion right away.   
  
He turned away from her quickly, as guilty thoughts began to rush in like a flood. So much for forgetting about one's problems with work.   
  
Gwen shrank back. There was pure hate in Snape's eyes, not just annoyance. She had never seen that turned upon her.  
  
"It wasn't a rumor," Gwen said softly. "And if I believed half the RUMOURS I've heard about you, I would've been in here a lot more in the past."  
  
She turned away, blinking back tears. She had known he would be angry. But not hateful. And she also knew she couldn't breath a word of this to anybody else. Or rules or no, she would be in trouble.   
  
Manx walked along the corridor, fuming. His eyes were burning with hatred. He had the air of one who is about to make someone's life a living hell. He approached the classroom. His face softened to a meekly polite expression. You couldn't tell from looking at him that he was angry in the slightest.  
  
He appeared in the doorway and peered in. He was rather surprised to see Gwen in there. Snape looked about ready to strangle her. Manx's face flashed with anger at this, but he remembered himself in time and hid it.  
  
"Gwen," he said, not hiding the shock from his voice, but not even she could stop Manx from feeling this rage.  
  
Gwen smiled weakly at Manx. She didn't feel like she could talk without crying though, and she really didn't want that now. She was pretty sure she knew why Manx was there. She was worried, but she knew this wouldn't be a good time to interfere. She watched silently.  
  
"Professor," Manx said politely, turning to the professor, "Can I speak to you a moment?" he said, indicating for Snape to come out to the hall to talk to him.   
  
What the hell was going on? He usually had people running away from him like the bloody plague, now they were flocking to him like flies to candy. He growled and turned to the voice. Manx Malvagio, what the hell did he want? He followed rather reluctantly, giving one last glance of death at Gwen, daring her to leave the closet, and slammed the door behind him.  
  
He followed the rather large fellow out into the hallway, his curiosity and annoyance balancing on the same high wire. His dark eyes were filled with traces of anger and hatred.   
  
"What is it, Mr. Malvagio?" He hissed with impatience, waiting for the damn good excuse.   
  
Manx's face morphed from his amiable half-grin to a face of pure hatred and anger. Manx grabbed onto Snape's shoulders and held him against the wall. Manx was almost half a foot taller than Snape, and though he was skinny, he was very strong when he was angry.  
  
When he spoke, it was in a menacing growl through his clenched teeth, "Pardon me, Professor..." he said it as if it were an insult, "But I don't think I approve of what you're doing to Jupiter..."  
  
Manx stopped. He wanted to hear what Snape had to say for himself, so he kept him pinned firmly to the wall.   
  
Severus crashed into the wall with a groan. His ebony eyes now appeared more like gaping holes in his face. The shock of being shoved into the wall by a student was almost immobilizing. What was this mad man thinking? Yes, he may be a friend with Jupiter, yet...  
  
He cleared his throat loudly, and forcefully shoved the boy's hands from his shoulders, his eyes narrowing upon the insolent boy's in indignation.  
  
"Bloody hell, you've got some nerve!" Snape roared, as he attempted to stand his ground. True, he was greatly intimidated by the boy, yet he was perfectly safe within the halls of Hogwarts.  
  
"I trust you are merely trying pitifully to be a good friend, my boy. Yet, I hardly doubt bullying a teacher is quite what she wants you to do," He growled, his shock slowly ebbing away, allowing clearance for anger. He knew the boy was right however; once more he was only lying to himself. He, himself, didn't approve of what he was doing to Jupiter either. Yet, I hardly doubt he would approve if he were doing anything else either. It was a never-ending paradox, that would probably never conclude, and he would forever be caught in his own bubble of self-pity and regret.   
  
Manx, angered at the insults, grabbed Snape's left shoulder and hauled off to hit him, but stopped himself before it was too late. He glared at the man with a look that quite clearly said that he wouldn't stop himself again.  
  
"How dare you presume to know what Jupiter wants!" he shouted at Snape, grabbing onto his robes and pulling him slightly upwards, "How dare you. You treat her like she's some sort of disease, you toy with her emotions, and you presume to tell me I'm not doing what she wants?! You are a sad man, Snape. A girl falls for you, you fall for her, and you're over here playing some masochistic game of deny-yourself-the-girl while she spends her nights crying herself to sleep thinking about you!" Manx was shaking with rage, and slammed Snape against the wall again.  
  
"And I'll have you know that this is me being fair with you. If I hadn't sworn to Jupiter that I wouldn't seriously hurt anyone, you could well be dead, old man. She made me swear not to hurt any of you FUCKING men, and I made her swear not to sell herself anymore *. But I could kill you now, Snape. And I would get expelled, even put into Azkaban for it, but I would keep some comfort knowing that you couldn't hurt her anymore. Knowing that your games were over."   
  
"Go on then, kill me. Here's your only chance to rid the world of my pestilence. You think threatening me with death would frighten me? I've seen things and been places you can't comprehend, my boy. A mere threat from you is hardly going to faze me," Snape replied in a low growl, his eyes locked on Manx's, daring him to make that one last step. He knew, of course, the boy would not. He would lose Jupiter's friendship if he did so, the boy was no fool. He was quite the opposite in fact, the adverse effect Manx was having on Severus was frightening. Feelings of regret and self-hatred began to mix with his boiling rage. Damn him.  
  
"I'm don't deserve her, Manx. As much as you may rave and scream, I'm not worth a penny. I'm not playing any games, I couldn't. Not after what has happened in the past. I respect your loyalty and your fervor, but things will never change. I will always be the man I am, I can't change, it's an impossibility," Snape whispered softly, his voice hoarse. He was a broken man, he knew the wrong he had done, but one couldn't change the past. He could never change the past, and now Severus hated himself for it.   
  
Manx was impressed at the strength this man had, and let it show in his face. But it was still no excuse. However, Manx was calmer now.  
  
"Listen Snape, I don't care about your past. Really. I don't. But what I do care about is Jupiter's future. If I told her that you were never going to give in, she would tell me I was wrong. She thinks a lot more highly of you than she should. She cares about you, and there's nothing you or I can do to change it, hard as we try. She's a willful woman, knows what she wants, and will stop at nothing to get it. A 'true Slytherin', you might say. And she wants you, though I can't imagine why. But I hate to think that she's throwing away her emotions on a man who can't even come to his senses and realize that she's a beautiful girl with a heart of gold."   
  
"You don't think I know that, Mr. Malvagio? I am a bit more perceptive than you think," Snape replied, the anger his eyes cooling, as well. At least he could breathe without the burning rage about to rip him limb from limb.   
  
"What do you propose I do? Sweep her off her feet? Hardly, my boy. There is this wretched thing named rules in this school," Snape hissed, brushing a few wrinkles from his robes. He was acting like an idiot again, he knew that perfectly well. Yet, he was completely baffled as to what to do himself, and asking for advice was not on his agenda of things he loved to do.   
  
Manx shook his head. Males were so. Damn. stupid.  
  
"Love knows no rules, Snape. If you had ever truly been in love you would have known that. She won't give up. Ever. I know her. I've been with her, Snape. She was the only girl I could really be close to. I could tell her anything, and she would understand. She never gave me pity when I didn't want it. She never hurt me in any way. And no matter what. No matter what I did to her, screaming, yelling, I even hit her once, she never gave up on me. And she's never going to give up on you. I learned how to treat her without hurting her. It's not hard. Just let her know you care, don't push her away. The more you push her away, the tighter she'll cling to you. She loves you, Snape, and she needs you to love her back."  
  
Manx couldn't believe himself for talking to a man. for sharing bits of his past with a man. By rights he should just hit Snape and walk off, angered. But that wouldn't help Jupiter. It would probably make things worse. Manx's voice was calm now, and he waited for Snape to say something. By gods, the man had better not walk away, he thought.   
  
There was that wretched word again, Love. Oh, he knew it well, all too well. Well, at least he thought he did. The single word that could mean life or death, exuberance or utter sorrow. Ah, what a blessed hell love was. He wasn't quite sure he could handle something as involved as this, so quickly. The pain from before was still a load he carried with reluctance.   
  
Yet, what could he tell the boy? That he was scared? No, he'd rather eat his wand then admit his true feelings. It always seemed to lead to trouble and pain whenever he came out with what he was feeling inside. He decided he'd rather have people hate a bitter man, than trample over a heart-on-the-sleeve fool.   
  
"I...I can't do that, Manx...I just...I can't," Severus replied with down turned eyes. He felt like a fool again, and there was no escaping the torrent that would come from this comment. If he only knew what he had been through, perhaps he'd be more forgiving, instead of being blinded by his senseless loyalty.   
  
"Don't tell me you can't. You damn well can," Manx looked at Snape coldly. He knew just how the human mind and emotions worked, and Snape was definitely not telling the truth.  
  
"And stop hiding things from me. Lying to me will do you no good. You're damn well scared of having someone love you, but even more scared of admitting it. What's your secret, Snape? What are you so desperate to hide?"   
  
Why was he doing this, what else did he want from him? Severus, instead of re lighting the flame of fury, merely sighed and leaned back against the cold, unfriendly walls. He had a world of things he was hiding, some gruesome and some pathetic. And each and everyone were hidden for good reasons. At least Severus thought them good reasons. He had never disclosed the information to anyone before, why should he start with some boy that didn't even like him?  
  
"I have my reasons, Manx. And they will remain mine alone," Snape replied, without emotion. This boy had unlocked the door that had taken Severus several years to hide away. Memories of years past, of times when he was living his life of ignorance. Oh, how vivid the memories were, it seemed as if it had been only yesterday when he had been betrayed, crushed, and thrown, broken, into the unforgiving world without her. That was when Professor Snape was formed and he had stayed distant and bitter quite contently for some time. Until Jupiter happened. This horrid, yet wondrous event. Feelings he hadn't even remembered were contained within him sprang free. Yet, it was all too fast, he couldn't handle the quickening of his heart and the loosing of his breath. He couldn't handle her imploring cerulean eyes and dazzling black hair. He was trapped between both worlds, a world of solitude and a world of happiness. And he didn't know what to do.  
  
Severus looked back up at Manx, he had been silent for some time, lost in his silent reverie. What could he say to the angered boy to quench his thirst for answers? Nothing logical came to mind, thus he remained silent, waiting for another verbal blow.   
  
Manx hadn't expected this man to share anything with him, but somehow, he had to get Snape to open up. He was doing this for more than just Jupiter now. Manx had made it his goal, years ago, to learn everything he could about human psychology, and this, he was sure, would help.  
  
Snape had obviously been spurned at some early point in his life, and now feared love. Much like himself, Manx realized suddenly. All this hatred towards men had come from the hatred of his own father. He hurts inside as much as I do... Manx thought. But now was not the time. He set aside the topic so he could think about it later, and turned to Snape, who seemed to be bracing himself for another attack.  
  
Manx sighed and asked Snape, "Can I show you something?"   
  
Severus blinked slowly, Manx hadn't scolded him for his silence. Perhaps, he was hiding something as well he. Severus released a quick sigh, and merely nodded at Manx. He was interested in the reason of Manx's adverse change of attitude.   
  
"All right. This way," Manx said, and headed off, trusting Snape to follow.  
  
Manx walked into the library with Snape, and leaned against a bookshelf near the entrance.   
  
Snape stepped in closely behind Manx, his eyes scanning the library for a reason they came here, of all places. He raised an eyebrow toward Manx, his curiosity growing by the second.   
  
"Why are we here?" He asked quietly, not wishing to draw attention at the two.   
  
Manx pointed to a familiar girl with black hair, who looked rather dejected and was busying herself with writing.  
  
"How much do you want to bet she's writing to or about you?" Manx asked, letting his arm fall to his side, then crossing his arms.   
  
"What do you want from me?" Severus sputtered harshly, directing his black eyes on the boy. They weren't angry however, they appeared...frightened. An emotion he hadn't shown in years, a suppressed creature that resided in the recesses of his mind. He was scared to death.   
  
"I can't do this, to her or me. I don't give a damn if you call me selfish, but...I can't," He stated quietly, his voice shaking noticeably. He couldn't handle this. He couldn't handle seeing her broken and near to tears at that table. It struck him in a way he couldn't describe. It was like her pain was his, like he was scorning himself as he had scorned her.   
  
He wanted to run, not away, but to her. He wanted to comfort her, as he did before. But not hidden away, he wanted a normal life. Yet, society would never allow it. Why try when it was doomed from the start?   
  
The man was visibly shaken by the sight of Jupiter, which made Manx feel much better about talking to him. He really seemed to care about her. Having confirmed this, he changed the subject.  
  
"What's your secret, Snape?" Manx asked, "Don't skirt the issue and don't say you won't tell me. I haven't a soul to tell except Jupiter. Who knows, maybe if she knew, she'd stop beating herself up so. She thinks you hate her. She thinks that she, her personality, is undesirable, because when she really opened up to you, you burned her. This doesn't seem to be the case, so now's your chance to prove her wrong."   
  
"I don't hate her, you know that. If it's such a bother, just tell her so," Snape replied curtly, turning from him. His throat always tightened whenever he thought of the past, and he couldn't bear Manx bearing down on him so. He didn't have to take this from a student.   
  
"This conversation is over. Perhaps, I will see you at a later date," With that, Severus turned on his heels out the door. He wanted to get to his office, this time he would lock the door to keep from unwanted disturbances.   
  
Manx saw Snape turn. He'd anticipated this, but had hoped it wouldn't come down to it.  
  
"Is this how you deal with everything, Snape? You run away?" he asked him before he'd gotten quite to the door.   
  
Jupiter's head snapped up from her writing, disbelieving. She was sure she'd just heard Manx talking to Snape. But it was impossible. Manx wouldn't talk so reasonably to Snape, would he? And why would Snape come into the library? None of it made any sense.  
  
But then she saw the figure at the door, dressed in black flowing robes. It looked quite disgruntled.  
  
Manx's words came back to her, "Is this how you deal with everything, Snape? You run away?"...  
  
"Yes," she thought bitterly. She snatched up her notebook and held it tight to her chest. She rushed out, brushing past Snape.  
  
"I hate you," she said, and shot him a hurt glance, then rushed off down the hallway.   
  
"I hate you..." Those words stung much deeper than she could have imagined. They brought back memories of the past, which couldn't compare to the deathblow Jupiter had just dealt him. Oh God, what was the use to continue on in this unforgiving world? Pain being his only companion, with solitude as his mother.   
  
He groaned and raised his hands to his face, exhaling loudly. He could feel the tremors shaking his weak frame. He couldn't believe how an already hellish day could turn into this. Had she no mercy? Had she no compassion?   
  
He lowered his hands, his black eyes flashing. No, this wasn't going to happen again. He wasn't going to be kicked and tortured until he became a total recluse. Thus, he began to follow Jupiter at a rather quick pace. She had turned a corner down a luckily abandoned hallway, or else he would have been shot for what he did next.   
  
He grabbed Jupiter by the shoulder, slamming her forcefully against the wall. He could see her eyes widen with surprise, but not for long. He quickly covered her mouth with his, fearing if he didn't do this now he would lose her, and that was something he wasn't going to do without a fight.  
  
Jupiter was surprised when Snape smacked her against the wall, but it was nothing compared to the shock she received just afterward. Her eyes were wide open with surprise, she felt as if she would faint. But after a moment, she melted into his arms, and kissed him back.  
  
She was in utter heaven. She couldn't have moved if she wanted to. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stroked his hair lovingly.   
  
Snape had lost it, but he didn't care anymore. He couldn't have cared at that moment if the whole damned school was watching them, he was in pure bliss. He had never felt this way in his whole life, not even with her. He reveled in this moment of passion, as he pressed more forcefully against her.   
  
He released after a few more moments, breathing heavily. He looked her straight in the eyes, his hand placed under her chin.  
  
"Don't ever say that..." He said huskily, commenting about her prior statement.   
  
Jupiter had been strong when Snape had hurt her, turned away from her, and struck at her emotionally, but this was too much. Her knees gave out and she fell into him.  
  
"I'll never say it. Never, if you don't want me to..." she sighed dreamily. She really meant it.   
  
Severus held her against him tightly, as if he loosened his grip she would slip away, lost forever. He knew this was crazy, he shouldn't be doing this. Yet, if he always listened to his head, where would that take him? He would most likely be alone and bitter forever if he listened to logic. So for the time being, Screw logic and its petty rules. Screw society and its institution of what is right and wrong. This felt too right to be anything else.   
  
He kissed the top of her head gently, taking in her intoxicating scent. A wave of mint swept over his senses, pulling him in. He was too far gone to turn back now, even he wanted to.   
  
Jupiter felt Snape's lips on the top of her head. She opened her eyes, and saw Manx walk past them, and wink at her. She should have known he would have something to do with this. Part of her was mad for him interfering, but she was too happy with the results to be too mad. Then a strange thought came to her.  
  
"Severus, did you talk to Manx earlier today?"   
  
Severus pulled away, glancing down at her.   
  
"Yes I did," He stated directly. He saw no problem now, the boy was clever, very clever. He probably had the whole thing planned out in his mind, humiliate Snape to the breaking point. If it were any other situation, he would give the boy a severe talking to, yet it wasn't any other situation. He could merely stand in admiration of the boy's wit. He reminded him of a softer version of a boy he used to know, very well.   
  
Jupiter knew it. She knew it. Sometimes she envied Manx's ability to manipulate people. She was good at it, yes, but not as good as Manx. And she would never have the heart to use it on Snape. But then something registered. Manx hated men. Did he...? No, he wouldn't have...She would sock him if he had.  
  
"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Jupiter asked angrily. Oh, she would hit Manx so hard...   
  
"Hardly, my dear. A good friend he is, Jupiter, a very good friend," He stated with a small smile. She was luckier than he could comprehend, to have a friend to guide her and pull her up when she fell. If he had had someone of the like to pick him up, perhaps he'd be a different man. Yet, would he be better off?   
  
He sighed, he didn't want to think of morose thoughts. Everything that he needed and wanted was with him now, and he would treasure these few moments that they could share.   
  
Jupiter sighed. All right, she thought, I won't kill him. She was still aware that something funny was going on with Manx, he wouldn't have just talked to Snape...would he? It was totally unlike him.  
  
Jupiter had so many questions she wanted to ask, but she was becoming aware of the fact that they were, indeed, in public, and the last thing she wanted right now was to be discovered by some errant student, or worse, a teacher.  
  
"Severus," she said, looking up at him, "I have to go...We might get caught...I don't want you to get in trouble..." she said, then as an afterthought, "Meet me in the garden after dinner?"   
  
Jupiter was indeed correct about leaving, Snape conceded. Anyone could walk by at any time. Severus smirked, as he pulled her close for one last embrace before they departed ways.  
  
"I'll go anywhere you want me to, just lead and I'll follow..." Severus rasped in her ear at almost a whisper. He stroked her hair one last time and broke the hold. He turned with a wink and left down the hall in a billow of ebony robes.   
  
Jupiter watched him, motionless, until he was out of sight. Then she stood up straight, gathered herself together, and walked out into the hallway, where she was apprehended by Manx.  
  
"It was amazing, Jupiter, I learned so much!" he gushed, but then he seemed to remember something, "But I have to run, dear...I'll tell you about it later!" he said, and ran off.  
  
Jupiter was just standing there with her mouth slightly open, completely dumbfounded.  
  
Then she walked, dazedly, to the Great Hall.   
  
***  
  
Severus entered his office and instantly released a labored sigh. A single glance at his desk significantly showed his recent neglect of his duty. He rolled his ebony eyes and collapsed into his chair. How in bloody hell was he supposed to work after what had just happened? His mind was a haze and all he could think of was her. It was like she was standing before him, her sapphire eyes glittering and her raven hair framing her beautiful pale face.   
  
He closed his eyes with another sigh, and enveloped his face in his hands. He had to get a grip on himself, or he wouldn't be able to see her for quite some time. Not if he didn't get his work done.   
  
He reached lazily for a quill, attempting to write, yet all that appeared on the paper with thick ink blots. He was a lost cause. All it took was one kiss to send him into delirium, but, oh, what a kiss that was. 


	5. Chapter 5

Explanation:  
  
Ling belongs to me.  
Lacci calls Ling Princess Babaloo.  
The Hall of Shadow belongs to me.  
Here's a description: Shady and creepy, this room has shadows upon shadows. You wouldn't do well to watch the shadows, because they mimic you, show you what you fear most. Many a student has gone to the hospital ward, frozen with horror, because they strayed into this room.  
  
Now, onto the fic! :D  
-----------------------  
  
In the Great Hall, Jupiter had heard rumors of a new hall in Hogwarts, that had just turned up in the building. It was called the Hall of Shadow, and it was supposed to be very dangerous. Nonsense, Jupiter thought, Why would something dangerous be in the Hall of Shadow?  
  
Jupiter wandered into the Hall of Shadow. She had to see what was so popular about this room. She just had to know. The logical part of her brain (i.e. - the largely ignored part) was screaming at her about how it was a stupid choice, but she was too curious.  
  
She opened the door and walked in. There were shadows on the walls, which were very solid. There was a bonfire in the corner, with someone seated by it. The logical part of Jupiter's brain was going nuts. She glanced back at the door, expecting it to be gone. It wasn't. She walked over to it, expecting it to be locked. It wasn't. She opened the door and looked out into the halls of Hogwarts. Something was wrong. Everyone else had told of the door being gone, or locked.  
  
She shut the door again and turned around. The bonfire was still burning. She walked towards the cowled figure huddled by it.  
  
"Go away girl, because I won't tell you again. You aren't supposed to be here. You are a Slytherin, and your parents were very important to me, so I let you go now. But if you do not turn around now, I will kill you."  
  
Jupiter was confused and afraid. The last thing she wanted to do was turn her back on the stranger, but she did anyway. On the wall she was now facing, there was a mirror. It showed no reflection of the bonfire. Jupiter whirled around, and the fire and figure had gone. She turned back to the mirror and looked into it. She could have sworn she saw a shadow detach itself from the wall and move towards her, but when she turned around to look at it, the moving figures were 2-dimensional and only slightly creepy.  
  
She turned back to the mirror and standing in it was the most hideously deformed human being she'd ever seen in her life. It was glaring at her through malformed eyes and holding a cleaver. She screamed and ran for the door, but the floor below her became thousands of razors, slicing open her suddenly bare feet. Jupiter screamed in agony and utter horror. She tried to run, but fell on her ands on the razors. Her fingers were sliced open, as were her feet. Muscle tissue and blood was everywhere as the razors slid across her feet and hands of their own will.  
  
She ran for the door on slashed feet and threw it open.   
  
She burst out into the halls of Hogwarts, tears streaming down her agonized face. She ran to the hospital ward, but it was closed and locked.  
  
Crying and limping, she walked down to Snape's office, begging for him to be there. He was. He opened his office door and looked at her. His face was gaunt and paled more so than usual. He did not speak to her, merely looked through her. Jupiter screamed at him for bandages, for comfort, but he looked through her as if she weren't there. She noticed his sleeves were ripped, and his wrists were slashed. His dark mark was also a striking black.  
  
Horrified and on the verge of insanity with pain in her lame and useless feet, she screamed at him to acknowledge her, why wasn't he speaking to her?  
  
A breath Jupiter had heard before, from the figure at the bonfire, came from within the office, and a white hand clasped Severus's shoulder. Snape turned slowly to face the cowled figure with a helpless, miserable expression. But there was no cowl now. Jupiter was looking straight into the face of Voldemort.  
  
The dark lord looked into the girl's eyes and placed his hand on her forehead. Her vision began to spin and her eyes unfocused. She fainted from the pain and the fear.  
  
When she next woke, she was in the hallway.   
  
Jupiter came abruptly to consciousness outside the Hall of Shadows with a scream.  
  
Her feet were torn asunder, and bleeding profusely, as were her hands, from when she had fallen on the razors.  
  
"HELP ME!" she screamed, "Oh god, help me, somebody!" she screamed, tears running down her cheeks in rivers. She was writhing on the ground in pain from her severed feet and hands.  
  
Her mind was still burning from her hallucination, she didn't know if it was a hallucination...Her head was spinning with blood loss and fear.   
  
"Jupiterjupiterjupiterjupiterjupiterjupiterjupiter!" Lacci whispered to herself quickly, running down the hall. She had seen this one coming. She hugged her twin. "What happened? Can you move? What do I do?"   
  
"Hospital wing!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Oh god, kill me!" she cried, "Get Severus! Something!" she screamed, rolling over onto her bleeding hands. He vision was going again, and she passed out.   
  
Lacci jumped up and ran to Snape's office to alert him.   
  
Within moments, Severus ran down the hall in a haze. He didn't care if he didn't know where he was going, he would find her. No matter what. His eyes darted frantically back and forth searching for any sign of Jupiter.  
  
"Don't let her die, God, if you are up there, don't let her die," He whispered harshly, as he picked up his pace further. He could barely see where he was going, everything seemed so dark and frantic. He wouldn't know what to do if something happened to her, if she died. God, what would be the point to life if thus was so?   
  
He could feel cold sweat streaming down his brow and into his eyes. He frantically wiped it away, attempting to clear his clouded vision. And then he saw her. Laying motionless in the hall. He was there within seconds, kneeling by her side. He scooped her instantly into his arms, checking hastily for a pulse. It was faint but it was there.  
  
He stood and glanced around, he had to get to the hospital ward immediately. God damn Dumbledore for not allowing Apparating. He had to run now, and fast. He glanced down a hall hand started at a sprint. He would deal with the most important aspect first, and come back and skin the person that did this to her.   
  
Snape burst open the door to the ward, entering hastily.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey, God Dammit where are you?!" He bellowed, as he gently placed Jupiter on a unoccupied bed, her crimson blood staining the pure white sheets upon contact. He hadn't noticed how violently he had been shaking, until he glanced down at his hands. He was as translucent as a ghost, as he leaned weakly against the wall.   
  
Madam Pomfrey came rushing into the room. Shooting him a worried glance. Severus merely urged her to continue with a nod. Oh God, let her be all right.   
  
Jupiter's eyelids flickered as she was bandaged and had her appendages tended to, but she didn't wake.  
  
Pain, loss, fear. She could smell the blood, the fear...she opened her mouth and screamed at the top of her lungs...her head was not fine...not fine...PAIN...he had been there, he had let her go...he had...he head...he hurt Severus...it was all over and...  
  
Jupiter twitched once or twice, and whimpered unconsciously.   
  
Severus stared blankly at the bed. He felt numb, the air had grown unmistakably colder. Something was not right. This girl shouldn't be laying near death upon the bed. Not here. He released a labored sigh and rubbed his temples methodically. This was too much for him, just watching her lay there groaning from the pain.   
  
"You may leave Severus, thank you," Madam Pomfrey interjected into his thoughts. Severus glanced up, his eyes had grown blood-shot. She came over, placing a hand to his forehead.  
  
"Severus, you aren't well," She stated worriedly, leading him out of the room. Snape stopped before they left the confines of the room.  
  
"Forget about me, take care of her. I'll wait out here," He said shakily, leaving Madam Pomfrey alone in the room with Jupiter. He stepped into the waiting room, falling into one of the chairs. His hands instantly covered his face, as he sat waiting.   
  
chasm...falling...must escape...struggling to the surface...can't breath...let go of me...let go...kicking...breaking surface...  
  
Jupiter awoke with a blood curdling shriek.  
  
"SEVERUS!!"  
  
In her mind was burned the image of Snape's bloodied wrists, his dark mark almost glowing. The pathetic look on his face, the broken look, showing he'd given up a struggle that had gone on for years.   
  
Madam Pomfrey ripped the door open, shooting a terrified gaze at Severus. He was already standing preparing to enter. He hurried in, and Madam Pomfrey gently closed the door behind him.  
  
He sat down on a chair positioned beside the bed, gently grabbing hold of her hand. It was cold and clammy. He shushed her and managed to get her to lean back to her pillow.   
  
"It's all right, my dear. I'm here," He whispered quietly, as he gently stroked her hair. Fear reflected from her eyes into his. He was terrified as well, what had done this to her? More importantly, was she going to be okay?  
  
As Severus rushed into the room, Madam Pomfrey left.  
  
Snape took one of Jupiter's useless hands in his. She could barely feel his warm touch on her cold skin, all she could feel was pain. He coaxed her into lying down again, and told her it was all right. But Jupiter didn't feel all right. She was in hysterics. She sat up again, too quickly. She fell to the opposite side of her bed and retched into a dustbin beside it.  
  
Then she straightened up again. Her head was spinning because of all the blood she had lost. She looked at Snape with frightened eyes. She hugged him around his neck, regardless of how much it hurt to do so.  
  
"Oh, god! Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god..." she cried into Severus's shoulder, shaking horrifically. Her hand and feet still stung with the pain of the metal. She could barely move them, the skin was in tatters.  
  
What she had seen in the Hall of Shadows had left her more afraid than she'd ever been. The idea of Voldemort coming back, and then going after Snape...Pushing him until he broke. The sight of what Severus had done to himself out of misery had Jupiter crying twice as hard.  
  
She grabbed Snape's arm as best as she could and pulled up his sleeve. His skin was whole, there was no blood.  
  
Jupiter sobbed in relief, and threw her arms around Snape's neck.  
  
"Oh god, I was so scared...Please tell me you're all right! I was so so scared...I saw...Voldemort had found you, he found you and broke you...you were all but dead..."   
  
Snape froze in place, frightened to hug the girl back in fear of harming her further. She was speaking of insane things. Voldemort gaining access into Hogwarts, it was unspeakable. He knew Voldemort would be the end of him eventually, it was his curse. Yet, if he came even a step near Jupiter, he would lose it.   
  
He slowly raised a hand, tenderly caressing her raven locks. He despised losing control of situations. He didn't know what was wrong, so he couldn't help her. He wanted to soothe her pain and dry her tears. Yet, it was all out of his power. He felt trapped. His ebony eyes darted fretfully about the room, searching for an answer. Any response to the raving madness that drifted about them. The cold whitewashed walls merely glared blankly back at him defiantly; mocking his turmoil.   
  
"I'm fine, don't worry about me…" He said slowly, attempting to soothe her upset. He hadn't realized, but there was something glowing a deep onyx on his arm. A skull grinning maliciously, alarming the world that something was going to happen. Something unspeakable…  
  
Jupiter seemed to be calming down a bit, though she was still trembling violently. She looked into Snape's unhappy face.  
  
"Severus, listen to me," she whispered, her voice was shaking as much as her body was, "Be careful...I really don't know if what I saw in there was a hallucination, or real, or what...but if it was real, you have to watch out for yourself. I want to see you at least once every day," she laughed, "Well, I want to see you every minute of every day, but I absolutely have to see you at least once. And Severus, I want you to always remember how much I love you..." tears were welling in Jupiter's eyes again, "And if there ever comes a time where you don't feel like you can be strong anymore, remember me, and don't give up. Don't ever give up..."  
  
Jupiter's head was beginning to spin violently, and she pressed her forehead against Snape's shoulder, hoping to steady herself.   
  
Severus smiled weakly, attempting to agree to her desperate request. He would concede, of course, seeing Jupiter everyday wasn't a thing he would have to force himself to do. Yet, there was something that he could shake off.   
  
"What did this to you?" Severus asked quietly, attempting to stay calm as he spoke the words. Whatever had done this, if it be human, didn't deserve to be called so. She was like a tattered rag doll, battered about by some unknown creature. It would be a very dead creature when he was through with it.   
  
Jupiter felt extremely foolish.  
  
"I...I went into the Hall of Shadows. It was stupid, I know, please don't yell at me. I knew better, but I went anyway. I didn't know it...I just knew it was scary. Some girl in the Great Hall told me about it, and I wanted to see what was so interesting about it..." Jupiter's face flushed with shame. She had brought this on herself...How stupid could she be??   
  
She what…? His weak smile faded instantly, his mood taking a turn for the worst. What the hell did she think she was doing? Stories about the horrors of that cursed hall circulated the school, but, no, everyone had to take a peek. Severus, as cruel as it was, pulled away and merely looked at her. Disdain reflected freely in his black eyes, as he glanced her over. She looked like a discarded child, her voluminous raven hair in shambles, and blood seeping through her bandages. Yet, he couldn't force himself to pull her into his arms. What she had done was foolish, what if Voldemort really was in the Hall? She could have been killed, all for a look-see.  
  
"Ah, I see…" He murmured softly, standing from his seat and walking toward a window. It was dark outside, the stars glittered like diamonds on a thick ebony velvet cloak. Yet, he found little consolation in them now. A few hours before everything had seemed so right, but, now it turned a complete 360 and reverted to its normal hell.   
  
"You could have died," Snape whispered, glancing at her askance. A indescribable emotion shining in his dark eyes. He brought a gaunt hand toward the curtain, feeling the feeble material mold beneath his fingers. He didn't know how he felt. He was angry, sad, frightened, and a million other emotions all in one. He sighed quietly, and glanced sideways once more.   
  
"I don't know what to think, Jupiter. Curiosity is strange emotion, understandable, yet deadly, as well. I would have thought you would have used better judgment, The Hall of Shadow is not a plaything," He knew she knew this, yet it was the most he could say without yelling at her. Telling her how stupid she was, or how much she would have hurt him if things had been worse.   
  
"I know, I...know," Jupiter hated this. She hated herself for her curiosity. She hated him for punishing her when she was all ready punishing herself. She hated having him upset at her. She curled up and hugged her knees in shame. She knew her face must be bright red...How could she have done something so...stupid?  
  
She poked her foot experimentally, to see if she could stand, and drew a quick breath through her teeth. It still hurt.  
  
"I'm sorry, Severus...I didn't know it was so dangerous, Karen Peasley told me it was an interesting experience, but she never said I could be hurt. You know I'd never want to worry you like this on purpose..."   
  
He closed his eyes and glanced down at the floor. Why was he acting cruelly? This girl had been punished enough, he didn't need to admonish her for something she knew nothing about.  
  
He approached Jupiter, and laid a gentle hand on her thigh. He groaned quietly as a soft pain swept up his forearm. He glanced down, he couldn't remember harming himself. He absently placed a hand toward the pained spot, feeling his warm skin beneath his cloak. His eyes widened, and quickly removed his hand. She hadn't been hallucinating, there was something going in that hall. But he would have to deal with that later, he couldn't tell Jupiter. Couldn't have her worrying after him.  
  
"I know you meant no harm, my dear. Don't worry about it now, you need your rest,"   
  
Jupiter sighed and rubbed her cheek, smearing blood on it.  
  
"I'm really not tired..." she said, but then corrected herself, "Or rather, I'm exhausted but I don't want to stay here. Especially not alone..."   
  
Severus offered her a small smile, as he leaned back in the chair. Showing her, without words, that he didn't plan on leaving anytime soon.   
  
"Please, don't allow me to keep you from your sleep," Snape stated, quietly as he gazed at her with intent eyes, motioning for her to rest. It was the best thing for her now. She wouldn't heal her wounds by sitting up all night.   
  
Lacci knocked on the door. Then she shoved it open and ran to Jupiter and Snape.   
  
"Jupiterjupiterjupiterjupiterjupiter!!"  
  
Lacci brushed past Snape and leaned down by Jupiter.   
  
"Jupiter, what do I do now? Are you ok? When will you oh hi Snape, be better?" Lacci asked this all very quickly, noticing for a moment that Snape was in the room.   
  
Jupiter was mentally swept away by her chattering sister, but recovered quickly. She was used to it. She and her sister were a lot alike, only Jupiter chose to be sane while Lacci didn't.  
  
"Hi Lacci. Yes, I'm fine, I'm all right...I don't know when I'll be better, but the charms on my hands and feet are working very slowly. Apparently there's some sort of anti-charm hex on the hall of shadow or something..." Jupiter yawned, "And I'm very tired but I'm not sure I want to sleep. I'm afraid of what I might dream of," Jupiter's mind darted back to the picture of Snape's arms, but forced herself to think of other things.   
  
"Ooooh." Lacci quieted down a bit.  
  
"I saw Hogwart by the labyrinth," she said conversationally. She figured as long as Jupiter could answer all of her questions that quickly, there was no real reason to panic.   
  
Manx burst into the room  
  
"Jupiter!" he shouted, but then quieted down when she flinched, "Oh god am I an idiot...I was talking to Gwen about you and Snape, and that Elskling girl heard!! She knows, and god, she's dangerous, Jupiter...got a fire in her eyes I've never seen before! She threatened Gwen, too, this is serious...Oh, hello Lacci," Manx was beginning to notice the blue and green eyed girl focusing her strange orbs on him and trailed off.   
  
"Ling knows about Snape and Jupiter?" Lacci asked, looking at Manx. She could have sworn he hadn't been there a second ago.   
  
Severus's eyes went blank. Could this day get any worse? He heaved a deep sigh and arose from his seat, turning his back to the group. He felt a strange wave of anger sweep through his body, an anger strong enough to kill with. His breath quickened and he quickly placed a hand to his forehead. He felt completely helpless to the raging emotions surging through his veins. He had to get out of the cramped room and dismal air.   
  
"Look after her," He growled quietly, as he quickly exited the room. He needed fresh air to clear his flooded mind. Within moments of exiting the room, his raving rage ebbed and he could breath a little more easily. He walked slowly down the hallway, he would retreat to the Gardens, perhaps. A few moments of peace was what he needed.   
  
Manx, who hadn't even noticed Snape was in the room, felt a sinking feeling. This was worsened when he saw Jupiter's face. He really should learn not to burst into rooms talking like that unless he KNEW who was in there.  
  
"Oh gosh, Jupiter, I'm sorry..."   
  
Manx started to apologize, but Jupiter silenced him with a bandaged hand.  
  
"It's all right, don't apologize, you didn't know," she whispered, and lay down. She shut her eyes and screwed up her face. She was stressed.  
  
"Cover your ears," she said, and screamed at the absolute top of her lungs. Afterwards, she felt very relieved and also a lot more tired. The adrenaline that was keeping her awake was slowly ebbing.  
  
"Forgive my lack of consciousness..." she said, and rolled over onto her side to sleep. Just before she drifted off, she noticed Manx sitting down in Snape's previous seat and putting his arm on her shoulder. Then she slept.   
  
Lacci, who hadn't covered her ears, fell over and onto the floor. She stood up and straightened herself. "I think you can handle this, Manx," she said, looking down at her sleeping twin. For some reason her feet itched. "I'm going to go look at the other patients now," Lacci wandered off.   
  
Manx looked at Jupiter's recumbent figure. The blood from her hands and feet was seeping through her sheets now.  
  
"God, what a day," Manx sighed heavily.   
  
Several hours later, Jupiter woke up. Manx was asleep in the chair next to her, with his head on her arm.  
  
Jupiter removed her arm from underneath his head without him awakening, and stood up unsteadily. It still hurt to stand, but she could do it. She did not want to stay in that stupid hospital bed anymore.  
  
She took a few experimental steps, wincing, but then set her jaw in determination and walked out of the Hospital Ward.   
  
Jupiter limped out into the hallway outside the hospital wing. She was tired of sitting in a bed in the hospital. Hospitals always made Jupiter think of death, and that was the last thing she wanted to think about right now. She spied someone at the end of the hallway walking quickly toward her.   
  
Ling spied Jupiter outside the Hospital wing, still bandaged. Stupid girl... she thought, and made a point of stepping on Jupiter's foot as she walked past. Then she heard Jupiter collapse with a scream. Ling was not a light girl.  
  
Ling turned about, grabbed Jupiter's bandaged hands and pulled her upright violently. Jupiter screamed again, and there were tears in her eyes.  
  
"Oh, terribly sorry, Jupiter," she said in a tone which indicated that she wasn't the least bit sorry, "You should watch where you're going."  
  
Ling turned away from her at this accusing remark, and walked off quickly, deciding she could blackmail her about Snape later. Perhaps she could even blackmail Snape himself. Ooh, what a treat.   
  
Jupiter stood on aching feet. Ling's stepping on her foot, and the squashing of her hands had broken open a lot of the scabs that had formed, and her bandages were almost completely red now. But she still didn't want to go back into the hospital wing. She kept walking...Perhaps she should go outside. Yes, that seemed like a good idea. She headed for the door to the courtyard.   
  
Lacci spotted Jupiter, and followed her curiously. She didn't do anything, though. She hadn't seen Ling do anything to Jupiter, as she had just arrived, and figured Jupiter must be well enough to walk.   
  
***  
  
Jupiter stepped out onto the grass. "Oh, it's just so much nicer out here than in that hospital room!" she said happily.  
  
She stretched her arms and just started walking. After a while she flopped down onto the grass, letting the smell of the grass overpower the stinging in her feet and hands.   
  
Lacci followed Jupiter out to the courtyard. "Hallo," she said, flopping down next to her sister.   
  
"Hello, Lacci," Jupiter said shortly, breathing deeply and scratching her nose.   
  
Lacci was silent for a moment.   
  
"Jupiter? ...You are going to be ok, right?"   
  
"Well I don't think I'm dead yet. I don't think. Anyway, I don't know...What I saw in the hall was really scary, and I'm not talking about when Ling stepped on my foot," she laughed a little, but she was still furious at Ling, and shaken by the Hall of Shadow, and worried about Snape.   
  
Lacci's eyes widened. "Princess Babaloo stepped on your foot?! How will you ever get better if she keeps getting worse?!"   
  
Jupiter shrugged. She showed Lacci the fresh blood on her bandages.  
  
"I fell down when she stepped on my foot, so she grabbed my hands and pulled me up," Jupiter sighed.   
  
Lacci flinched. She had felt her feet and hands aching earlier.   
  
"You're going to be better before the ball, right? You have to be better by then. Or else Severus will be sad. I don't want Severus to be sad."   
  
For the first time in about six hours, Jupiter winced emotionally.  
  
"I don't want him to be sad either," she said, her voice full of emotion.   
  
Lacci pulled an umbrella out of somewhere and began gnawing on the handle.  
  
"....Jupiter?" Lacci formed a thought in her mind. "Why... why did you go into the Hall of Shadows? You aren't depressed, are you?"  
  
Lacci was somehow attached to Jupiter, and could sense her pain and emotions. She didn't know what depression was like, so she didn't know whether Jupiter was in it or not. But Lacci had heard it was a bad thing.   
  
"Well I wasn't then," she said slowly, "But I kind of am now. Severus is upset about something. You saw him leave...I wonder where he is and what's wrong," Jupiter thought out loud.   
  
"Why don't you go talk to him?" Lacci suggested, always the first to point out the most simple solution.  
  
"He probably wants to be left alone..." Jupiter said, and looked up into the sky.   
  
Lacci followed her gaze. Then she threw herself at the ground as a maniac bludger went by.   
  
"MISSED ME AGAIN!!" She yelled to it happily, getting out her bat just in case. That bludger had gotten loose a while ago, and it didn't seem to like Lacci much.   
  
Jupiter shut her eyes and put her hand on her bare stomach.  
  
"Sorry if I don't talk, I don't know what to say."   
  
"That's ok, neither do I," Lacci laid back into the grass. She fell asleep.   
  
After a time, Lacci got up. Jupiter was still there. She went to go find Snape, just because it seemed like a fun thing to do. It would probably make Jupiter happy. 


	6. Chapter 6

Lavinia belongs to Nikki  
  
------------------------  
  
Severus stepped outside, sucking in the fresh air like mad. His arm was throbbing of his previous pain. He collapsed upon a bench, and rolled up his sleeve. The mark was burning a deep black now, its evil eyes glaring mockingly at Snape. He placed a hand over it, a deep growl emitting from his throat. He was helpless to the threat of Voldemort once more.   
  
He hadn't been in the presence of the Dark Lord since his initiation to the Death Eaters, so it was easy to reject him. Yet, something about the man was tantalizing. He had a magnetic effect upon people. All that was need was a spark of wiliness within, and he could suck you into his dark world easily. Yet, his spell seemed to fade over time, thus betraying his former master was not too difficult a task. Yet, he still had doubts of how he would react if he was in Voldemort's presence once more. Would he be strong enough, as Jupiter had begged him to be? Or would he crack under an ounce of pressure?  
  
He sighed and buried his face in his hands, breathing heavily. He was trapped in his paradox of sedition and fidelity. The burning sensation in his arm was not aiding in his thinking, reminding him every moment of what was to come. It was inevitable, yet must it happen now. Right when he had finally found a touch of happiness in his dreary existence. However, the world seemed show no mercy for the down and out, only pounding them deeper and closer toward the dirt.   
  
Lavinia walked along the garden, shielding her eyes from the setting sun to stare up at the tall flowers. She caught a glimpse of Professor Snape, looking sour as usual. She said, "Professor, why are you looking at your arm?"   
  
Snape looked up quickly, his dark eyes reverting toward their normal cold glare. He pulled down the sleeve of his robe and stood from his seat.  
  
"Its nothing," He replied all too quickly. He cleared his throat gruffly, and glanced past her momentarily, a stinging sensation sparking through his skin.   
  
"Is there something you need?" He grumbled, trying avoid the apparent pain and to wash all traces from his countenance.   
  
Lavinia shrugged, "Not particularly. I was just taking a walk. You caught my attention...." She looked to the ground for a moment, and looked up. "I hope Jupiter is strong enough to get over you."   
  
Severus glanced up at her, a strange emotion glazing in his ebony eyes.   
  
"What are you talking about?" He questioned gruffly, his voice dangerously low. Was there something he didn't know about? He glanced incredulously at Lavinia, a feeling of fright rising up in his chest.   
  
Lavinia looked him steadily in the eye, "You haven't been very good for her. And I wish she'd get over you. I'd have some choice words for you, if you weren't a professor." She stared up at him, with a blank face, somehow maintaining a look of innocence.   
  
"You have no idea what you are talking about," Severus growled, a surge of anger washing over him. His weak feelings of anger had been magnified by the activation of the mark, hurling him toward the brink. His eyes flashed as he took a step toward the girl. What the hell was he doing? He sucked in a deep breath, attempting to quell the rising rage.  
  
"Please, delight me with your petty comments," He said oddly, his voice a strange tone, as he looked up from the ground, directing an emotionless gaze at the girl.   
  
"Please, enlighten me with your sorry excuses." She grinned cleverly, raising an eyebrow in jest.   
  
Lacci walked over to the two. She had a bad habit of coming in at the wrong time. She leaned on Snape's shoulder.  
  
"Hallo! What's going on?"   
  
He backed away from Lacci, removing her arm from his shoulder. Something odd was happening and he felt helpless to stop it. The snide remarks from Lavinia were not aiding, either.   
  
"Just leave me alone," He hissed, striding off into the garden. Couldn't he be alone for a few moments? The torrent of pain began to subside, and all he could do was wonder why this was happening. He needed to think and not be criticized by students for being cruel to Jupiter. He knew very well of his mistakes, yet to hear them pointed out to him every moment was too much.   
  
Lacci looked a bit disappointed, but turned to Lavinia. "What's wrong with him?"   
  
Lavinia mimed a twig from a tree, pointed to the sky, and then to her rear, mouthing the words "stick up ass."   
  
Lacci didn't understand what she meant. She looked back at Snape. "Well, I'm going to follow him. I don't want him to be sad." Lacci smiled to Lavinia and dashed after Snape.   
  
Snape walked quietly through the monstrous foliage, not granting a moment's notice to the sheer height of some of the flowers. His mind was wandering elsewhere. He was beginning to feel a tinge of guilt for running from Jupiter like that. It seemed to be his outlet nowadays, flee the scene. It was disgusting that he was allowing himself to stoop that low, but some situations called for an exit. Such as the prior one with Lavinia. He had wanted to maim her, not only a bit, he was about to before Lacci arrived, Bless her soul. He had no prior dislike for the girl, but the hateful emotions coursing throughout him were frightful. He knew very well the dark mark was the source of his troubles, yet it had never bothered him before now. He had never come so close to losing it like he did just then.   
  
He heard a patter of footsteps behind him. If it was Lavinia, he would just dismiss her. Tell her that she could insult and criticize his actions later. He turned and saw Lacci running towards him.   
  
"Hello, Lacci, can I help you?" He asked quietly, masking any troubles the brewed beneath his fading veneer of bitterness.  
  
Lacci looked up at him. Her face was somehow mixed with knowing-ness and confusion at the same time.   
  
"Snape, why is Lavinia bothering you about Jupiter? She's normally such a nice person, I don't understand how she could be mean.."  
  
Lacci trailed off. Even she hardly knew what she was saying. She did know that Lavinia was being very rude and that Snape was having a big problem with something important.  
  
"Why are you holding your arm like that?"   
  
"I don't know, Lacci, I don't know what's going on anymore," He replied gravely, glancing down at his cursed arm. He could feel the pulsating quicken, it must sense other humans nearby. So this is where the Death Eaters find their rage, it's from the pain. Severus trusted Lacci, she may be a bit unreasonable at times, but she seemed to understand when situations were serious.   
  
He rolled up his sleeve, the hideous mark glowing on his arm was shown to the night.   
  
"It's the mark of a Death Eater, Lacci. I used to be one a long time ago," Severus explained, not wanting to scare her off.   
  
Lacci looked at it. She recognized it. "Thren had one of those. She's hiding in the school, and it's the same color. Does that mean Whats-His-Name is nearby?"   
  
Ah, he remembered Threndle. The child who had caused such commotion, killing the half-house elf girl. Yet, Lacci must be confused about her whereabouts, she was sent to Azkaban.   
  
"I'm not quite sure what it means," Snape replied glancing disdainful at the evil image on his forearm. It pained him to look at it, for he knew that his death was the man the mark represented.   
  
"How is Jupiter?" Severus asked, nonchalantly, remembering Lacci was in there when he left. He hoped she was getting the well-needed rest, and Manx wasn't keeping her awake with any excuses about his foolishness.  
  
Lacci smiled on this simpler subject. "Oh, I was just talking to her out in the courtyard about you and Princess Babaloo. Then she fell asleep and I decided to go find you, because I saw you when I was following her. She said Princess Babaloo stepped on her foot and grabbed her hands. Poor Jupiter.."   
  
Lacci's last words had more sorrow in them as she thought about Jupiter's bandages. She scratched her aching hands and stomped her feet on the ground.   
  
"She what?!" Severus bellowed, turning sharply on his heels and making a beeline toward the courtyard. How could she leave? Did she have a bloody death wish? He doubled his speed, not looking back to see if Lacci was following. He would find her, take her back to her room and make her sleep if he had to. She wasn't going to recover if she tromps around, allowing that horrid girl to pick on her.   
  
Lacci stopped for a moment. Had she just told on her sister? She scurried after Snape.   
  
***  
  
Severus stormed into the courtyard, spotting Jupiter laying on the grass almost instantly.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?! You should be resting, God Dammit!" He bellowed across the courtyard, as he stormed up to her, picking her up into his arms despite protestations. He didn't care if she was mad at him, she was going to get better if it killed him in the process.   
  
He left the courtyard at a swift trot, his brow burrowed in frustration.   
  
Jupiter was looking at the sky, thinking about her life, when she suddenly found herself being lifted by an upset Snape.  
  
"Wait! Hold on! What are you doing? I don't want to go back to the Hospital Wing! I'm fine! Put me down!" she protested, but he showed no sign of relenting.  
  
As he carried her off, she said reproachfully, "I was too resting..." but then she cuddled against his chest.   
  
Lacci ran after both of them. "What about me?!" She called, about 10 feet away from them. She soon caught up and trotted alongside the two.   
  
"Sorry Jupiter, I didn't know he'd do that."   
  
"It's all right, Lacci."  
  
"You're supposed to stay in the Hospital where Madam Pomfrey can watch you. It doesn't matter if you don't want to go back, it's not your choice. You're not going to get better roaming about. And you, Lacci, were supposed to watch her!" He growled in reply, as he felt her nuzzle against him. In all truth, he wasn't as angry as he came off as, yet the pains in his arm and the concern for her safety escalated the feelings.   
  
The pains were almost intolerable as he carried Jupiter down the hallways. Yet, he took it, he couldn't very well put her down. She might harm herself in some way, he could stand a little pain for her well being. However, he began to falter in his step, as a wave of pain smashed forcefully into his brain. An ominous migraine loomed in the shadows, waiting for him to falter once more. He groaned slightly, yet continued his journey toward the Hospital Wing slowly.   
  
Lacci saw Snape in that one moment of pain. Instead of saying something, she rushed ahead to the hospital.   
  
Jupiter felt Snape straining, and heard him groan.  
  
"Put me down," she said, "Really, I can walk to the Hospital Wing. It doesn't hurt that much. And if you don't set me down, I'll struggle, and then we'll both get hurt," she said matter-of-factly. She didn't want to manipulate him at all, but she didn't want him to hurt himself, and this was the fastest way toward getting what she wanted.   
  
"No, I'm fine rea..." He paused a moment, to suck in some precious air, something he seemed to be lacking. He could put her down, what if she hurt herself?   
  
"Don't worry about me. I'm just a little tired..." He replied. But he still set her down. He leaned against the wall for a moment, catching his breath. The headache had begun to set in, his mind was throbbing, giving little room for any sensible thought. He felt numb, yet he had to continue on. She needed care, not he.   
  
"Let's go," He commanded weakly, starting a head of her at a slow steady pace. He didn't want her to think him weak, yet he didn't want to tell her about the mark. Not yet, at least.   
  
Jupiter could sense something was wrong, but decided not to follow it further right now.  
  
Jupiter pointed her wand at Snape's back and whispered "Enervate," hoping it would help him, but making sure he wouldn't hear and be embarrassed.  
  
Then she hobbled off behind him. The bandages on her feet were beginning to fall off, and she had to hop on one foot for a moment to keep up while she desperately tried to keep the gauze on her foot. She'd been saying "ow" very quietly, but Snape turned around and saw her hopping.  
  
She straightened up immediately and started walking normally, and he turned back around, obviously knowing she didn't want to be carried.   
  
He felt foolish making her walk, when he should be carrying her. He wanted her to rest as much as she could, she would recover more quickly if she rested those feet. Yet, he didn't know if he had the strength within him to carry her the full length; and he knew, as well, upon touching her the pain would only increase. How the hell was he supposed to go on normally, when he felt pain when amongst any humans?   
  
He slowed down, waiting for Jupiter to catch up. Having her in his sight made him more comfortable. Even with the small distance, he could feel the flux of pain go from bearable returning to brink of excruciating. His step began to slow once more, yet he recovered before Jupiter could notice. He scolded himself inwardly, for his weakness. She had endured more pain than he, and she was walking.   
  
Jupiter felt an overwhelming unhappiness. She was slightly clairesentient (she could feel what other feel), and unhappiness was radiating off of him. This in itself was enough to make her sad, but she felt like it was her fault, which made her feel worse.  
  
She walked quickly up behind him and grabbed his arm. She noticed that he winced in pain when she touched him. She began to have a glimmer of a notion. She stopped him.  
  
"What's the matter, Severus? And don't avoid the situation," she said, a look of deep concern across her features.   
  
Severus had an urge to pull away from her, yet he allowed her to remain her hold on him, despite the pain. His black eyes darted about, attempting the think of a way to avoid the situation. He knew she wouldn't accept any answer other than the truth however, she wasn't dumb.   
  
"I..." He couldn't take her cool blue eyes gazing up at him. It was arousing a darker feeling within him, and he had to shake those horrid thoughts from his mind. He wanted to tell her to forget about his plight, and focus on her own injuries. He wanted to tell her loads of things, yet every time he tried to articulate thus, the words ran dry in his throat.   
  
Instead, he rolled up his sleeve, once more showing the hideous demon the light of day. It was pulsating a different color however, a putrid green. He glanced up at her, the pain reflected fiercely in his onyx eyes.   
  
Jupiter looked with horror at the ugly mark on Snape's arm. She covered her mouth with her hands and bit one of her fingers lightly.  
  
"Oh Severus!" she cried. Now she knew why he flinched, why he couldn't carry her. She wished she could hug him without causing him pain...Was her vision in the Hall of Shadows prophetic? What was going on?  
  
"When did it...?"   
  
"About the same time the Hall of Shadows thing happened..." Severus replied, a glazed look clouding over his eyes, as he stared past Jupiter into oblivion. He shook his head, clearing his momentary lapse of time.  
  
"We should continue towards the Hospital Wing. You should lay down," Severus stated, turning to walk on.   
  
Jupiter was extremely concerned, but followed Snape to the Hospital Wing silently.  
  
***  
  
Lacci ran in ahead of Snape and Jupiter. She hoped Madam Pomfrey hadn't noticed them leave. She set the bed as well as she could, which meant the pillows were stuffed into the back of the bed and the blanket was folded neatly into a small square in the middle of the bed.  
  
Jupiter and Snape walked into the room, and Jupiter hoisted herself, with a fair amount of difficulty, onto the bed.   
  
Snape rolled his eyes, as Jupiter hoisted herself into the bed. He felt even more helpless then before, as he slowly leaned against the wall opposite the bed. The pain had returned to a nagging sting, yet hardly intolerable. If he stayed here, he would be able to remain in the room and keep his sanity as well.  
  
He glanced over at Jupiter, a small smile gracing his thin lips. Despite her injuries, she still looked breathtaking, sitting up in the bed.   
  
"See, this is better."   
  
Jupiter sighed.  
  
"I hate anything related to hospitals," she said quietly, but she didn't object too much to being in the room.   
  
She was still stressed out, though...Ling knew about her and Snape...how much did she know? Snape's dark mark was active, and Jupiter kept on having flashbacks to her time in the Hall of Shadow, like her head was trying to tell her something.  
  
Severus was just as stressed as she was. There was a sort of compression in the room, and no one spoke.  
  
In a dark place, somewhere not too far off, something sensed that its presence was felt, and made itself scarce. This could indeed have been what cause Jupiter's immediate relief, or it could not have. In any case, Jupiter hadn't the slightest idea what had happened, but felt very lightheaded.   
  
Severus glanced up from his thoughts, could this be true? The pain was fading. The burning light on his forearm was dimming, as well. It was a wonderful sensation to be able to stand without pain. Yet, despite the fleeting absence of the pain, he knew this was not over in the least. All he could do now was to be thankful for this brief reprieve.   
  
"How do you feel, my dear?" Severus asked, moving closer to the bed, and sitting himself in the chair beside it.   
  
"I'm all right..." Jupiter said, despite the intense dizzy ness she was feeling. She had been adjusting under major stress, but it had been lifted so abruptly, and it was doing a number on her head. She thought for a moment, then voiced this.  
  
She steadied herself on her arms, and made a point of adjusting her top, which had been falling down.   
  
Severus diverted his eyes as Jupiter adjusted her shirt. She was healing, He should be supportive. He sighed and leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes momentarily and savoring the moment of peace.   
  
"I quite enjoy the hospital wing. It's a bit more peaceful than the rest of this school," Snape stated, in converse of her recent statement.   
  
"Well then you can lie down in this bed and I'll go teach your class," Jupiter laughed, and poked Severus's tummy with a long fingernail.  
  
She thought for a second how grateful she was that her nails weren't harmed in the Hall.   
  
Severus awaited the rush of pain to wash over him at her touch, yet he was surprised that there was none.   
  
"That wouldn't be appropriate, now would it? You need your rest, besides. Would you like me to leave?" Snape asked, his dark eyes filled with concern. He knew he wouldn't be able to get much sleep with Jupiter staring at him, perhaps she was a bit more composed than he.   
  
"Well I'd like you to stay, because I'm not tired anymore, and I don't want to be alone, but I'll understand if you want to go..." she said, selfishly hoping he would stay.   
  
Lacci had been sitting on the floor on the other side of the bed this entire time. She climbed under the bed and climbed out the other side. She bonked her head on the underside of the chair Snape was sitting on. "OOOOOOOOOOWWW," she yelled, and then hobbled out from beneath them. "Juppie, I can't stay. I've got to... do something.." she said airily, swaying slightly. Then she walked out of the room and down the hall.   
  
Severus watched Lacci leave, as the smile on his face faded. He was jealous of the girl's carefree attitude toward life, something that he could never possess.  
  
"Well, I suppose I shall stay then. I wouldn't want to anger the lady," Severus said, the timeless smirk crossing his gaunt face.   
  
Jupiter smiled at Snape. She rolled over onto her back and put her hands on her chest. She smiled up at the ceiling as if it had just told her she was pretty. The pain was gently subsiding, the anti-curse hex must be wearing off, she thought.  
  
She unwrapped her left hand, and shrieked. The cuts were gone, yes, but there were horrific scars on her hands. She cursed herself and her curiosity, and the Hall of Shadow, and her fear of razors, and that STUPID anti-healing hex.  
  
She sat up, and unwrapped her other hand and both her feet to find the same on all of them. This was awful. Jupiter had always been very concerned with her image, especially her wrists and hands, and now this happened!  
  
She put her face in her scarred hands and sighed greatly.  
  
"Damn," was all she could say.   
  
Severus sat forward at her scream. He had feared this would have happened, perhaps Madam could figure something out at a later date to rid the girl of the scars. Yet, at the moment it was a loss. He took Jupiter's hands in his, causing her to look up at him. He gently kissed each of her wrists, then looked up at her, his face a breath away.  
  
"You're still beautiful, Jupiter," He said softly, releasing one of her hands to bring his own hand to her face. A gentle smile was spread across his lips, showing the sincerity of his statement.   
  
Jupiter's heart raced. Having Snape this close to her always gave her butterflies.  
  
On an impulse, she put her hands on his shoulders, pulled him into her and kissed him. He had such wonderfully soft lips, his scent was so intoxicating, Jupiter was flying. She was chanting in her mind, "I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you!", but she didn't dare break off their kiss to say it. She contented herself with thinking it loudly and stroking Severus's face and hair.   
  
Madam Pomfrey walked past them with her eyes shut. She didn't see them. She made sure that she didn't see a lot of things. What did she see?   
  
Oh look, a bed! Let's clean that bed! After all, there's definitely nothing that concerns me to my left. No, nothing at all. Let's see how that patient across the room is doing...  
  
Severus pulled away, as he heard the door open, his cheeks reddening at the sight of Madam Pomfrey. Thankfully, she merely closed her eyes and walked out. Severus raised a hand to his brow, shaking his head.  
  
"Perhaps, I shall make my exit," Severus stated, his cheeks still flushed. He felt quite stupid that he didn't even think of what he was doing. He wasn't worried about Madam Pomfrey telling anyone. She may yell at him a bit later, but it could have been someone else who'd seen. He heaved a sigh and glanced at Jupiter, looking for her reaction.   
  
Jupiter felt bad for not thinking about privacy, but she had no shame. She didn't believe in being proper at all.  
  
She hopped off the bed onto her bare feet. The scars felt strange, as if she were treading on something, but there was no pain.  
  
"Well I could probably leave, too. After all, Manx may wonder where I've gotten to. And we both have a ball to prepare for," she smiled at him.   
  
Yes, how could he have forgotten the wretched event. This time however, he would let someone else patrol the bushes.  
  
"Ah, of course. I will see you later, and please, don't hurt yourself further," Severus pleaded. He was sure, however, that Manx would make sure of that. So, with a nod, he was away down the hallways, making sure to avoid Madam Pomfrey on the way out.   
  
"Bye, love," Jupiter called softly to him as he exited.  
  
"Well, then," she said out loud, putting her hands on her hips, "It's off to the common room, then!"  
  
And, with that, she left. 


	7. Chapter 7

Ehrich belongs to Drew.  
Sophia belongs to...Katie? Electra? Someone.  
Suspendo Oobiesbay belongs to me, and come from a joke ("Wow, with that dress, her breasts must be held up by magic!").  
  
------------------------  
  
Jupiter bounded into the dorm topless (having removed her shirt on the stairs) and bouncing freely. She ran to her trunk and unloaded her outfit. She quickly wriggled out of her skirt and socks (she doesn't wear underwear because she doesn't believe in it) and then donned her gown. It was black at the bottom, fading into dark blue, fading into purple, which faded into red at the top. It was completely strapless and had a slit in her cleavage which went all the way down to her pierced navel, so that her favorite glow-in-the-dark stud could show through.  
  
She pointed her wand at her breasts and muttered, "Suspendo Oobiesbay," and her breasts felt less as if they would pop out at any moment.  
  
Then Jupiter put on her long violet detached sleeves with the points at the ends.  
  
She grabbed a hairbrush and started to brush out some tangles. She flipped her hair over into her face and brushed the other side, then flipped it back and brushed it some more. She put a green headband on, to keep her long hair from her face, and arranged her bangs neatly.  
  
She sighed, put on some quick eyeliner, re-applied her vanity charm that kept her lips a pale blue, and then surveyed the overall image in her full-length mirror.  
  
"Fab!" she said, and spun around, enjoying the way the soft, slowing satin embraced her thin legs.  
  
Then she grabbed her shrinking purse, enclosed it somewhere in her dress, and ran back to the common room.   
  
Lacci had been sitting on a bed behind Jupiter as she was getting ready. "Good luck!!" she called, and then rolled over sleepily and fell off the bed.   
  
Ehrich, standing over at Raksha's bed, looked over towards Lacci and yelled, "Hey, do you know how Jupiter used that charm to make her boobs stay up? Do you know any that'll make mine somewhat bigger? I don't have enough to fill out my dress!". He pouted and turned back to Raksha.   
  
Lacci climbed back up on her bed. She didn't know how to do magic at all. She had once turned someone into a lobster moth...  
  
She took out her wand and pointed it at Ehrich.   
  
"Uuuhhmmm.." she said sleepily. She racked her brain for spells. "Engorgio? Suspendo Oobiesbay." Lacci wondered if she needed to do another one. "Uuuhh... Grandi Occhi." Without bothering to see the effect, she fell back onto the floor and began sleeping.   
  
Jupiter ran back into the room, she'd forgotten her shoes.  
  
"AAAACK! EHRICH!!" she screamed at Ehrich, who was gigantically tall with large eyes and his shirt was clinging very tightly to his chest.  
  
"Reducio!" she yelled, and Ehrich returned to normal size. "I'm afraid you just have to wait for your eyes to shrink back to normal size. They're cute though! How did this happen?"   
  
"I asked Lacci to give me boobs..." he said sheepishly.   
  
"Haha, never ask Lacci to do magic. All though I have to say, that despite the side effects, your breasts are really nice! But you're missing something...Cambi i capelli!" Jupiter said, pointing her wand at Ehrich's head. Suddenly it was in a bun with pink flowers sticking out of it.  
  
"Lovely! And now, my love, I must flee!" she said, smooching Ehrich on the cheek and running off.   
  
***  
  
Severus looked into his mirror briefly, scrutinizing himself for the very first time. He'd never been so apprehensive about his looks before, much less a social event. He'd never been to one worth getting ready for, not even back when he was a student at Hogwarts. Of course, there had never been anyone there worth preparing for.  
  
He sorted through his things, and picked out a simple pair of black dress robes, a long sleeved, button-up shirt with loose sleeves and a wide collar, and a pair of dress boots. That ought to be good. That was what one wore to balls, wasn't it? He wasn't one for fashion, so it would have to do in any respect. Severus cast the doubts lingering in his mind. He ought to be at least half-way confident..  
  
He removed his normal robes and donned the other ones. He looked at himself in the full-length mirror. Heaving a labored sigh, he turned away. It would do, it would have to do. He looked respectable enough, anyway. Rolling his eyes he walked toward the door, yet before opening it he caught a glimpse of himself in the glass.  
  
Should he do something with his hair? He looked back at the mirror, pondering it for a moment. Eventually, he decided. He brushed his hair quickly, wondering why on earth he cared about what he should do with his hair in the first place. Then he pulled out a string from his desk, and tied it back. That should be sufficient. With that, he was out the door, towards the Ballroom. Tonight would either be feast or famine, yet he had no time to ponder about it and waste more time.   
  
***  
  
Percy strolled in through the ballroom doors, head held high and carrying an air of importance, as befitting a ministry wizard. His pompous air, however, was somewhat disturbed by the people who kept pushing him aside as they rushed from the dance floor to the drinks table and back.  
  
Percy muttered and straightened his glasses. He hadn't figured out exactly why he was here yet. He suspected it had something to do with his colleagues wanting to keep an eye on Lucius Malfoy, and of course, he could hardly let them down, could he?  
  
A rather hard shove from a burly seventh year nearly sent Percy stumbling to the floor. He regained his balance and muttered disdainfully under his breath. Oh well, it could be worse, he thought. At least Fred and George haven't shown up yet.   
  
A girl with black and blue hair and a very interesting satin gown flowed up to him.  
  
"Hello, you don't look like you go here. However, you do look like a Weasley. And from the important air just emanating from you," she giggled, "I think it's probably befitting to say that you're Percy," she smirked and continued, "My name, however, is Jupiter Vrij, I'm friends with Fred and George," she extended a thin hand with scars on it.   
  
Percy straightened up, his chest puffing out with pride. The poor boy had completely missed any trace of sarcasm.  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Vrij." he said, shaking her hand and giving a disapproving glance at the scars on her hand. "I trust this evening finds you well?"  
  
As he spoke he glanced nervously at her dress, which didn't look as though it could conceal any dung bombs. In fact, to Percy's somewhat conservative tastes, it looked like it was having trouble concealing Jupiter, never mind any sort of Zonko's merchandise. Still, you could never be too careful with someone who admitted to be friends with Fred and George.   
  
Jupiter noted his looks of disgust at her hand with disappointment.  
  
"Please forgive the appearance of my hands, I encountered a bit of...unpleasantness a while ago, and it hasn't healed quite properly yet," she said, futilely hoping it would help.  
  
"Other than that I am fine. I've been having to deal with some of my more errant peers... As I'm sure you know, I'm in charge of student relations, a sort of student president, if you will, and there were a lot of hitches in pulling off this ball. For example, I had to rid the whole ballroom of timed dung bombs and exploding candy that Fred and George put down. As much as I love them...They have a tendency for too much ill-placed mischief. And then Ron spiked the punch!" Jupiter gave an exasperated sigh and put her hand on her forehead.  
  
Then she remembered about the scars and hid her hands behind her back.   
  
Percy paled as Jupiter told of his brother's antic's. He let out a soft groan.  
  
"I apologize for all the trouble, they've caused you, Miss." He noted how quickly she hid her hands, and shook his head slightly and gave a reassuring smile.  
  
"And don't worry about your hands. I well remember exactly what this school can be like." his smile faded a bit, "although I had hoped it would have improved somewhat while I was away."  
  
Looking up, he noticed Lucius. He gave a small wave to the other man, then caught glimpse of the girl on his arm and quickly turned back to Jupiter. Of all the things... Lucius, a married man, fraternizing with a student. How would that look to the rest of the school? Percy shook his head in disbelief. Sometimes Lucius really made his life difficult.   
  
A girl came in, muttering, "I think my date died..." The she spied Percy and squealed, "Ooh! Hey there, sweetheart."  
  
"Well, luckily your brothers don't seem to be doing much of anything now," she said, knocking on wood. She was also very relieved at the comment about Hogwarts.  
  
Just then, Lucius and Pandora walked in.  
  
My god! She actually did it! Jupiter thought in amazement, but then turned her attention back to Percy. She had just opened her mouth to say something when they were apprehended by a girl. Jupiter shot her a glance with daggers in, and silently willed the girl to go away.   
  
The girl grinned, clueless to Jupiter malignant stare, "Hi there!"   
  
Jupiter fumed internally. She wouldn't let her anger at the girl for intruding on her "Percy time" show, but she kept imagining herself kicking Sophia into a broom closet and locking the door, then smiling winningly at Percy and continuing their conversation while Sophia banged on the closet door in vain.   
  
Their interrupter made matters worse by grabbing Percy's arm and giggling.   
  
Ah, thought Jupiter.  
  
She raised an eyebrow and looked at the girl, who smiled at her. Then she turned her gaze on Percy.  
  
"A...friend...of yours?" she asked heavily, giving Percy a look that clearly said "I don't believe someone as utterly superior as you should hang around with such riff-raff!" She had an image of herself ripping Sophia from Percy's arm and throwing her into the punch She pushed it away, reluctantly.   
  
"Hmm..." the girl poked at the voiceless Percy, "I think he's paralyzed with fear. Oh no no, we don't know each other. I'm just picking random males!"   
  
Percy looked bemusedly from one girl to the other.  
  
"Can I help you, Miss...?" he asked Sophia, tactfully removing his arm from her grip and giving her a somewhat disdainful look.   
  
"Sophia!" she squeaked, purposely avoiding her last name. She hastily grabbed Percy's arm back, giggling evilly, just to make him more nervous.   
  
Jupiter cleared her throat pointedly.  
  
"Well, Miss Sophia, If you haven't much else of importance to say to myself and Mr. Weasley here, I'm sure there are other boys who would be quite glad to be clung to. I'm afraid, though, that Mr. Weasley is a bit above being clung to. He is, after all, an important man employed by the Ministry of Magic, and not just some little schoolboy to be trifled with!" said Jupiter in a very sincere tone of voice, purposely feeding Percy's ego, in the hopes that he would help her push away the newcomer.  
  
Sophia looked Percy up and down. "I don't know, he doesn't look that intimidating. And I'm having too much fun to leave. I wouldn't mind getting to know a big, important person."  
  
Percy frowned at Sophia, the girl was beginning to irritate him.  
  
"I'm afraid, Miss, I was engaged in a somewhat private conversation. If you don't mind..." he removed his arm once again from her grip.   
  
"Oh, it didn't look like you were getting into anything deep before. I don't have much of anyone to talk to, and I didn't think some nice gentleman wouldn't mind being kind enough to take me in for a little."   
  
Jupiter smirked triumphantly at Percy's disdain for Sophia, and turned her smug gaze on her.  
  
"Yes, please, go away," she said, frowning again and mentally pushing the girl away with great force.   
  
"Oh, you don't need to get jealous over him!" Sophia protested, with an evil grin, "What happened to that teacher you're always with?"   
  
"Excuse me, I was hardly getting jealous," she lied convincingly, "You were merely intruding upon a conversation that does not concern you in the least. And I'm afraid that Professor Snape isn't here at the moment, as you may have noticed," she turned back to Percy, "The Professor has kindly agreed to help me organize the field trip," she said smoothly, giving him a smile.  
  
Then she focused an icy stare on Sophia, "Miss, please. Go away. Why don't you go bother a Malfoy?"   
  
"I just find it strange how you get possessive over this one when you already have one. You have a thing for older men?"   
  
Jupiter's eyebrow quirked in surprise.  
  
"I'm sorry, are you implying that Professor Snape and I are romantically involved with one another? Or that Mr Weasley and I are? You are quite mistaken, miss. I'm afraid it doesn't do good to assume things, especially things so ridiculous. Myself, be involved with a teacher? Exactly how immoral do you believe me to be, Miss...whatever your name is! I refuse to be insulted by you any longer," she said angrily, then she turned to Percy, "If you would like to stay here with this immature young girl, you're free to, but I prefer to be near people who don't speak such rubbish!"  
  
She turned her back and walked to the other side of the room in a dignified manner, hoping Percy would follow her.   
  
Percy shot an annoyed glare at Sophia, and then followed Jupiter across the hall.  
  
"Are you ok? She didn't offend you too badly, I hope...?" he asked, his concern outweighing his irritation.   
  
"An 'immoral' Slytherin doesn't sound that shocking to me!" Sophia muttered, walking away.  
  
"No, I'm all right," she grumbled, inspecting her fingernails. The she sighed and straightened up, "Forgive my momentary loss of temper...I hate it when people listen to ridiculous rumors...I've received nothing but hell from students about Severus and I. Of course, we're friends, we connect on a mental level, but nothing more than that. Rumors make me so angry...I hate it when people don't tell the truth," she said. This was not entirely true. She loved it when people lied, and she caught them.   
  
"It would be best not to worry about it," Percy said warmly, giving Jupiter a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "There'll always be rumors. It's best to just to rise above it and remember you're better than their childish stories."  
  
Percy gave her another smile, remembering briefly his time at Hogwarts. Thankfully he hadn't been deemed 'interesting' enough to be gossiped about.   
  
Jupiter took a deep breath and exhaled, releasing the last of her negative tension.  
  
"Thank you, Percy," she said, giving him a dazzling smile, "You're a dear."  
  
There was a slight pause. "Oh my, I've completely forgotten what I was going to say!" she said, looking rather disgrumpled.  
  
"Oh, well...So what brings you to Hogwarts anyway?"   
  
Percy smiled, glad that Jupiter had cheered up.  
  
"I've been asked to accompany Mr. Malfoy," he nodded in Lucius' direction, "Not completely sure why, but it's probably something important. I think there have been one or two problems."  
  
Percy frowned. While there was most likely a good explanation for him coming to Hogwarts, it would have been nice if he knew what it was.  
  
"Oh!" Jupiter cried, completely ignoring Percy's discomfort at his lack of knowledge, "It's probably about that horrid Hall of Shadow..." she said, and nodded affirmatively.  
  
"It's positively awful, and doesn't seem to have any purpose at all except to scare and injure people..."  
  
Percy arched his eyebrow, intrigued.  
  
"The Hall of Shadow?" he asked, "can't say it remember it...."   
  
He bit his lip as he tried to recall, but his memory remained blank. He wondered briefly how Jupiter knew about it, but then he remembered the scars on her hands and decided it would be best not to ask, even if he wasn't right.   
  
Jupiter began to mess with her hair, which smelled stronger of mint than usual.  
  
"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter too much," she said softly, in a sort of contented tone, looking at her hair.  
  
She seemed to notice herself drifting off into la la land, and straightened up a little.  
  
"So, Percy, how's the Ministry treating you?" she tilted her head to one side inquisitively, "I'm so sorry about Mr. Crouch," she added.   
  
Percy stiffened slightly at the mention of Mr. Crouch  
  
"I'm sorry as well," he quickly changed the subject, "but the ministry's been pretty good. It's hard work, but it's good to know I'm doing something useful. Helping people and such. It's been very busy recently though, which can be very tiring, but I'm sure I can manage."  
  
Percy gave a small smile. It was nice to be able to talk about work without one of his brothers constantly piping up with amusing comments.   
  
"That's very good of you. I don't think anyone could possibly do your job quite as well as you do," she grinned, but then a flash of black across the room caught her eye and her heart jumped.  
  
"Oh dearest Percy, it's been positively fascinating and I look forward to talking to you again in the future but I have to go attend to something, you understand," she said sweetly. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Percy on the cheek and then ran off.   
  
***  
  
Severus stepped into the hall, glancing about in minor disdain. The amount of open affection was a bit too much for the conservative professor. He rolled his eyes and walked further into the hall, scanning it for the only reason he was here. He couldn't see the girl anywhere and his expression visibly lowered.   
  
He retreated to a wall, glaring at the happy students with dark onyx eyes. He didn't feel comfortable merely standing mindlessly, it was an odd sensation to wish to be a part of the celebration. It was usual for him to feel left out, but thoughts of Jupiter only ostracized him ever the more.   
  
Jupiter crept up on Snape as quietly as she could, trying to stay hidden, which wasn't a hard thing to do in the crush of students.  
  
She walked up so that she was right beside him. Luckily, he was still searching the crowd, presumably for her. Suddenly, she grabbed him and shouted "GOTCHA!"   
  
Severus turned quickly toward the source of the yell, startled, his eyes were widened. They remained wide, as he realized what Jupiter was wearing. He allowed himself one glance down at her licentious apparel, then quickly returned to her face. He had to shove the inappropriate thoughts roughly out of his mind, as he focused upon her glittering cobalt eyes.   
  
"Hello Jupiter, you look quite…lovely," He said, stumbling over his last words. He couldn't voice what he was thinking due to the public atmosphere. Even if they were in a more appropriate setting, he would still most likely refrain.   
  
Jupiter smiled at him.  
  
"Why thank you, Professor Snape," she said in an "apt student" voice.  
  
She was in a very comfortable mood and leaned her torso forward and pointed at her navel jewelry, which was glowing.  
  
"Do you like it? It's new. I got it four days ago," she smiled, admiring it.   
  
Severus looked down quickly enough to catch a mere glimpse of the navel ring, before quickly returning his gaze.  
  
"Lovely," He stated briefly. He had to keep himself in line tonight. He was a professor, he was supposed to be an example. He wasn't supposed to engage in the self-indulgent acts about him. Yet, one glance at the vixen before him sent his primordial sense in gear, battling his weary conscience.   
  
"Are you enjoying yourself so far?" He asked nonchalantly, attempting to turn the discussion away from Jupiter's body.  
  
Jupiter sensed Snape's...discomfort and smiled to herself. But she decided to leave him be for now, and began talking in a very conversational, matter-of-fact tone of voice.  
  
"Well, it's been interesting, thus far," she said, "I had a nice talk with Percy over there," she pointed at the red-haired boy with the horn-rimmed glasses, "He's a cutie. Absolutely adorable. Of course, it wasn't a very good conversation, because we got interrupted by some extremely rude girl who made a few comments pertaining to you and I, which I dispelled, rather nicely, I thought. Lucius Malfoy is here, escorted by an ecstatic Pandora Vetinari. They're being stalked by Lucius's rather whiny son, who seems bent on blackmailing them somehow. Lacci and Oliver have broken up because they came in earlier with their hair and clothes all mussed and big grins on their faces. Lavinia hit Ehrich for kissing Freddie, his owl's here, by the way, cute little thing, and they ran outside. And then you came in, looking quite nice, I might add. I love your hair. And thus far, that is everything of interest to me," she finished with a smirk, knowing that she'd successfully talked his ear off, and waited for it all to sink in.   
  
Severus stared at some non-existing object for the whole period Jupiter was speaking. It seemed he had missed quite a lot, not to his dismay however. She was a lot more social than he.   
  
"Ah, it seems you've spoken to half the school," Severus stated sarcastically, a weedy smirk spreading across his face.   
  
"You may return to your 'rounds' if you wish. I'll be making sure the other student's don't have too much fun, anyway," He replied, rolling his eyes. How he hated getting into the children's frivolous activities. He did, however, quite enjoy their surprised expressions when he caught them.   
  
Jupiter smiled. This was the cold, sarcastic Snape she knew and loved. She mentally gave a dreamy sigh.  
  
"Thanks much, but I think I'll stay here and bother you for a while, do you mind?" she smiled and gently poked him in the side, hiding her hand so that no one could tell.   
  
Severus raised a raven-colored eyebrow, as Jupiter poked him playfully in the ribs.   
  
"Of course not, perhaps I can let the little dolts enjoy themselves a bit longer. They should be thanking you," Snape said, sending an awry glance at the door toward the courtyard. He knew very well what was going on in the bushes outside the Ball Room, yet strangely, for once, it didn't bother him all too much. It might have been the fact that he desperately wanted to pull Jupiter off toward one himself...but that was a whole other story all together. He liked to think he was just growing softer with time.   
  
Jupiter giggled cutely, and seemed to reach a decision. She hopped out in front of Snape, bouncing madly. He noticed this and coughed a little, glad for her suspending spell.  
  
Then she looked at Snape's face.  
  
"Yes, yes, I definitely like the hair," she remarked, and then gestured to the dance floor, "Let's dance."   
  
Snape froze, remembering the last time he tried to dance. And why in bloody hell was she bouncing about. He groaned and glanced up at the ceiling, inwardly damning his dark thoughts.   
  
"Er...well, perhaps, you could find a more able companion," Severus replied quickly, trying to wheedle himself out of the situation. The last thing he needed was Jupiter pressing herself against him.   
  
Jupiter gave Snape a playful smirk.  
  
"Oh come now. Me, find someone else to dance with, and pass up on my change of being envied by every Slytherin and Ravenclaw girl...and some boys, in Hogwarts? Come on," she coaxed, pulling on his sleeve gently.   
  
He definitely was growing soft, a year ago he would have scoffed at the enchanting girl before him and told her to go off and bother Potter. Yet, her eyes begged him silently to stop being a git and lighten up. He sighed and rolled his eyes. It was only one dance.  
  
"Very well," He replied quietly, following the girl out onto the dance floor. What a wonderful way to look like an idiot.   
  
Jupiter smiled dazzlingly at Severus and pulled him out onto the dance floor after her. She looked over at Kirley and winked. She'd discussed this with him beforehand.  
  
It was a simple piece, with only cello and piano. Slow, haunting, but pretty. Jupiter didn't know what it was called, but had successfully hummed the two harmonies to the band earlier that day.  
  
Jupiter wrapped her slender gloved arms around Snape's neck and leaned into him. She had a knack for fitting perfectly into someone's arms.   
  
Severus closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the feel of Jupiter in his arms. Yet, he opened them within moments reverting his content expression to his usually glare, sure to not look too happy.   
  
He was really at a loss for words, some of the things running through his mind were better for a private conversation between the two. So, he merely smirked lightly.   
  
"It seems you were quite prepared," He stated, motioning his head toward the band.   
  
Jupiter smiled.  
  
"Of course. I had to talk to Kirley while we were setting up. I also got Lacci a sort of early birthday present, because everyone knows how infatuated with him she is..." she smiled slightly and resisted the very strong urge to lean into him and...She coughed at herself mentally, cutting off her train of thought. She instead looked into Severus's eyes and wished she had something to say to him, just so that she could whisper it in his ear.  
  
She settled for just smiling suggestively at him, her eyes saying things that she didn't think even Lacci would say out loud.   
  
Severus diverted his eyes from the evil seductress for a moment, attempting to regain his composure. He was a professor dancing with a student, that was all at the moment, nothing more. But, why in bloody hell did she have look at him like that. His previous thoughts came barging back into his head, and Severus was helpless to stop it.   
  
"Er...how are you?" Snape said moronically. He rolled his eyes at himself instantly afterward. There goes the professor approach. Now, you sound like a babbling prat.   
  
Jupiter's face broke into a full smiled. She was a tease, and she knew it. Severus seemed to be noticing it, too. Jupiter decided to turn down the heat for now. After all, she'd promised dances to a lot of people, she couldn't just run off with Snape and not come back.  
  
"I'm fine," she laughed, "Are you all right?" she asked, and gave him a sort of laughingly concerned look.   
  
"I'm fine," He muttered, pleased that she didn't seem set on pulling him into the bushes anymore. His tense muscles calmed, as they continued dancing, even though he still felt foolish. He had no clue what to say, perhaps there wasn't anything really to say.   
  
He was scanning the room, when he noticed Professor Ubel running out at a frantic pace. This raised his curiosity, as his eyes narrowed on that spot. He could only hope this had nothing to do with the Hall of Shadows. It had given the students enough grief already.   
  
"What are you looking at, Severus?" asked Jupiter, noting his unhappy expression.   
  
Severus returns his focus to Jupiter, shaking his head slightly.  
  
"Something's wrong," He stated briefly, his eyes retracing their previous trail toward the doorway. He should go check it out, just to make sure it was something Ubel couldn't handle by herself. He didn't want anyone getting harmed on the night of the ball. He detached himself from Jupiter's grip.  
  
"I should check it out, though it may just be a prank. Of course, it could be anything," He told her quickly, every now and then his eyes darted toward the doorway. She wasn't back yet, something was definitely awry.  
  
"Come or stay if you wish," He said, rushing away from her toward the gaping doorway. He would check the common rooms first, he saw them run down the dungeon stairs. It would be most logical.  
  
Jupiter glanced around, she had promised a few more people dances...but...this was more interesting. She nodded and ran off after Severus. 


	8. Chapter 8

Threndle (who is not really in this chapter, but was in a previous chapter) belongs to Emma.  
  
----------------  
  
Severus rushed into the common room, his ebony dress robes billowing behind him. He stopped in the center, to listen for any sign that he wasn't the only one there. To his dismay, it seemed he was alone. He released a low growl of irritation, as he surveyed the room. Figured he'd think it was some serious accident, when she was probably going to the bathroom to help with some womanly need of sorts.   
  
He turned toward the doorway, rolling his eyes. He'd been on edge ever since his mark had been activated and Jupiter had entered the Hall of Shadows. Even if this was a false alarm, there was something amiss in Hogwarts. But, right now, he didn't have the energy to search the grounds for the exact problem.   
  
Jupiter ran into the common room just in time to see Professor Ubel run past her, carrying Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be crying.  
  
Jupiter turned to follow, but Ubel turned and said "It's fine dear. No need for you to follow."  
  
Confused, Jupiter walked into the common room to sit down. Severus was all ready in the room, looking as confused as she.  
  
"I guess Draco hurt himself," she said, and shrugged.   
  
"Wonderful," Severus spat, glaring out the doorway. Even if the boy was a brilliant Slytherin, he did seem to whine a little too much sometimes. He turned to Jupiter, raising an brow and shaking his head.  
  
"What a waste," He growled, stalking toward the door to leave. This was ridiculous.   
  
"Oh come on. Stay a little while. We can talk. Just talk," She added with a smile, and sat down on the couch by the fire, patting the seat next to her.   
  
Severus eyed Jupiter for a moment, trying to judge her true intentions. Content enough that she seemed harmless, he walked over to the couch and sat down at a safe distance from the girl.   
  
"Talk then," He said, his voice still a little gruff. He was still angry about getting worked up over nothing, but a foolish accident Malfoy probably made. He was most likely at the moment complaining to his father about the safety of this school. He sighed, and leaned back into the softness of the couch. At least he wasn't stalking about the ball, pulling couples apart.   
  
Jupiter lay down in his lap and faced him, putting her hands on his marked arm. She had a question that she was pretty sure he wouldn't like, but maybe he wouldn't run away if she was lying on him.  
  
"So what does it...do?" she asked, pressing lightly on his arm where she knew the mark was, "Does it hurt?"   
  
Snape swallowed hard, as Jupiter lowered herself to his lap and latched onto his arm. He glanced at the abhorrent mark, cringing slightly upon sight of the horrid stain.   
  
"It signifies one's allegiance to Voldemort. It doesn't hurt at the moment. I, myself, haven't truly figured out what it truly does. Yet, it seems to emanate hatred and pain, causing the bearer to illustrate the same feelings," He stated in a uniform voice. He hated talking of that fragment of his past. He had done so many irrational and noxious things in his youth, why was she bringing it up?  
  
"Oh," Jupiter said shortly. She felt bad for asking, but she needed to know, "Why?"   
  
Why? It was the way he was raised, he knew nothing more than a world of darkness and hate. His late parents had raised him, trusting that someday he himself would walk in their footsteps; and unfortunately he didn't disgrace them.   
  
"I didn't know any better. It was the way I had been raised," Snape replied quietly, as if he spoke the words too loud the whole world would hear him. He had never had to explain his life and choices to anyone before, and frankly it was making him uncomfortable.   
  
"Oh," Jupiter said again, thinking it over. She guessed she'd sufficiently built up to the question that had been haunting her for a long time now.  
  
She ran her fingernail down Snape's arm, then rolled over a little and kissed his stomach lightly.  
  
"Severus," she asked slowly, "Have you ever killed anyone?"   
  
Snape's eyes grew cold as he stared down at her. Not from the fact that she had kissed his stomach, but from the weight of her question. What could he tell her? No, of course not, love, I just watched.   
  
"What is this all about?" He asked, a touch of anger sliding into his lowered voice. Did she suddenly not trust him? He had never shown any hostile actions toward her, or had she suddenly decided to believe some horrid rumor?   
  
Jupiter's heart sank. She'd pushed too far, gotten him upset at her. She always pushed too far.  
  
"I just wanted to know, I know it's really personal, and I know you don't like talking about it, but I just..." just wanted to know more about the man I gave my heart to, she finished mentally.  
  
"I just wanted to know. I'm sorry I asked," she said meekly, shutting her eyes.   
  
His cold glare softened at sight of her turmoil. It wasn't her fault that he had made mistakes in the past, yet, he just didn't have the self-possession to speak about them freely.   
  
"Don't be sorry, It's not your fault for being curious," He said softly, he looked away from her. Now he couldn't even look at her, without feeling guilty in an odd sense. He didn't deserve the girl laying on his lap, he didn't deserve any girl in this school. Or anywhere. But least of all Jupiter.  
  
"It's just that I…" He paused for a moment, swallowing his words. What could he say to excuse him from the horrors he had caused? She deserved to know, but how could she if he didn't have the nerve to tell her?  
  
"I don't know…" He sighed, bringing a hand to his face. He didn't like being under this unfamiliar pressure.   
  
"I don't think any of us really know," Jupiter said, into the folds of Snape's shirt. She shifted position slightly and rubbed the fabric of his outfit between her fingers absentmindedly.  
  
"My parents were death eaters," she said at length, "But I was very small at the time...They didn't bother to hide it from me, like they never bothered to hide anything from me. They didn't go out of their way to explain it to me either, though. I saw them kill someone once. It was a girl. She was a little older than I am now..."  
  
Jupiter didn't seem particularly disturbed by the memory. It could have been because she was so young when it had happened, but Jupiter couldn't really feel upset about it. She figured she was just broken emotionally in some places. Or cracked, anyway.   
  
So the madness of the Dark Lord had touched Jupiter directly, thought Snape. He should have been surprised, yet he really wasn't. Back then, it was a rare time when you didn't come across a family without at least one Death Eater in it. It was a bloody infamy that Jupiter had to witness the horrors of the time directly. Yet, she, like many, didn't seem too effected.   
  
"Your childhood doesn't sound too far from mine," Severus replied faintly, as memories of his abject youth seeped into his mind. Memories that he wanted to forget.  
  
Jupiter sighed a little and bit her lip. She snuggled a bit closer to Snape.  
  
"I'm sorry I brought it up, I didn't mean to depress you."   
  
Jupiter had ended the conversation with her last remark, yet a question still lingered in the back of his mind. Why did she bring it up in the first place? He didn't want her to not trust him. Yet, he felt ever more, if he told her everything he had done that she wouldn't trust him. It was a paradox, either way there was doubt in his mind.  
  
He heaved an arduous sigh. He was reading too much into things. Perhaps it was just curiosity on her part. Yet, he wouldn't find out now.   
  
"You didn't depress me, my dear," Severus replied implausibly. Yet, it was slightly truthful. He was more deep in thought than depressed. Now, he couldn't shake the fact that perhaps Jupiter was having her doubts about him. It was all too good to be true, anyway.   
  
"Well then what's wrong?" she asked, sitting up and shifting so that she was sitting on his lap with her head nestled underneath his chin.   
  
"Jupiter," He said quietly, placing his hand beneath her chin, forcing her to look at him.  
  
"Why did you choose me over all the prince charmings? I'm much older than you, I'm a flat-out jerk, and I'm not exactly what one would call attractive, love," He replied coldly, as if loathing his own words. He released her chin, yet didn't look away. He was preparing for the answer that he feared was coming.   
  
Of all things, Jupiter hadn't expected him to say that. She thought for a moment and then said, "Well, I know you're older than me, but I think you're very attractive...and...It's hard to say, Severus...I've always admired you. You're not afraid to be different, you never care what others think of you," she fiddled with her fingernails in thought, "And because you seemed a lot like me in some ways...Kind of broken inside. And I've always felt that if I ever had the chance, I could tell you anything. Like I could relate to you on some mental level I can't connect to anyone else on...I can't put it all to words."   
  
Severus was deeply surprised with her answer. He didn't have a clue what she was going to say, yet he hadn't expected what came out of her mouth. She admired him? What was there to admire? Why was it whenever he asked a question, only more questions arose? He sighed, and wiggled himself from underneath Jupiter and stood. He turned back toward her, his black eyes holding some unknown emotion.  
  
"I'm hardly admirable, Jupiter. As I am nothing like you. You are an amazing girl, Jupiter. Don't compare yourself to me," He stated plainly. This was the reason he avoided personal private conversations. All his uncertainties always slipped out. Outside he may look calm and collected, yet within he was what she just said. Broken.   
  
Jupiter put her face in the couch cushion. She lifted her face up so she could speak.  
  
"Please don't say that," she rolled back over onto her back and flopped her head down onto a pillow in frustration. She was suddenly very angry. She stood up and advanced on Snape. She pushed him lightly.  
  
"Severus, why do you always do this to me? One moment you care, the next moment you don't, then you say you care but you don't act like it, and then you say don't you don't but act like you do! You keep me running around in circles after you. You deny me the only thing I've ever asked of you!"   
  
Severus grabbed her hand before she could retract it from his chest, pulling her close to him, till they were a mere speck apart. He bent down so his face was in direct alignment with hers, his murky eyes not flashing with anger, yet another similar emotion.   
  
"Because I'm scared, Jupiter. I'm scared out of my bloody mind!" Severus hissed, his voice frenetic. He threw her hand down and backed away from her.  
  
"I'm terrified of you, Jupiter. The fact that someone shares feelings other than hatred for me is horrifying. You're the first woman in my life that hasn't looked at me as merely a tool to progress herself further into the world. Whatever you are expecting from me is too much," Severus snarled, as he collapsed on the opposite couch, his black eyes seething with emotional excess.  
  
Jupiter's forgot her anger instantly and it was replaced with shock. He'd never been so forward with her...Before then, he'd only hinted at things, let things show in his beautiful eyes... But now...  
  
Jupiter walked to the couch and knelt down beside it, not touching Snape.  
  
"I'm sorry, Severus...I know it must be so hard for you. I guess I did bring it upon you rather quickly," she moved herself to the couch, and wrapped her arms around him in a protective, comforting manner, and kissed his forehead, "I'm very sorry...I'm here now and I do care about you, a lot, but I'm willing to let you adjust to the idea...just....just don't go away from me anymore," she said, a little tearfully.   
  
Severus closed his eyes, as Jupiter soothingly placed a kiss on his forehead. He opened his eyes undecidedly, not wanting to wake up to the pitiless world about them. He looked up into the girl's unwavering sapphire eyes, feeling a knot form in his stomach. He would never fully comprehend why this beauty saw anything in him desirable. Yet, he couldn't run away from everything forever.   
  
He pulled Jupiter into his embrace, pressing his lips against her silky raven hair, inhaling her mesmerizing scent like a drug.   
  
"How could I lucidly say no?" He breathed softly, not wanting to pull to far away from the girl, for fear she would vanish, and this would all be a dream.  
  
Jupiter filled with joy. How did she exist before she asked him to the dance? Her life had been so...shallow. So trivial. Now she had some sort of real meaning.  
  
She held Severus tightly to her. She laid kisses all over his face, ending with a quick smooch on his lips. She looked into his eyes and mouthed, silently, "I love you," and kissed him on his nose.   
  
He wanted to ask her why, but he knew that would only lead to more arguments. He felt awkward and uncertain staring into the young girls eyes, like he wasn't truly there experiencing this. What was wrong with him? He should be glowing with elation, yet something was still holding him back. He stared back at her, the indecision reflecting in his distant ebony eyes.   
  
"I…I'm sorry," He stammered, sitting up. Something was plaguing him, still that question she had asked before. Would things be different, if he had answered? Would they still be in this room?  
  
"What would you do if I told you I killed several hundred people, Jupiter," Severus stated bluntly, holding her by shoulders and looking her straight in the eyes. His glare had changed dramatically from his previous soft gaze, now it was bitter and hostile.   
  
Jupiter's eyes widened. He'd rarely, in the six years she'd known him, seemed so deadly serious as now.  
  
Jupiter's insides froze at his words. Part of her was afraid, part or her was excited at the idea, excited at his dominating grip and tone, and all of her was intimidated.  
  
"I, uh," she stammered, her mouth opening and shutting, "I don't...know..." she said truthfully. She knew instantly that the answer she gave was the wrong one. "What I mean is, I don't know what to say without making myself sound heartless," which was completely true. She would care, if it was hundreds of people she cared for. Hundreds of people she didn't care for would certainly shock her, and maybe make her a little sad, but...   
  
A malicious smirk formed across Snape face, of course she'd say that. Who would know what to say to such a blunt statement? She was young, did she know who she was wrapping herself to? He leaned in closer, his eyes joining in his mouth's grin, as they narrowed upon the girl.  
  
"Of course you wouldn't…" He rasped almost silently, his grin fading as he pulled away at a painfully slow pace.   
  
"I wouldn't unthinkingly devote yourself to someone you know nothing about, love," Snape replied at a slightly bitter tone. He wasn't attempting to scare her away, merely show her that not everyone is what they seem. He didn't want her to get wrapped up in something she had no desire for. Or perhaps he did want to push her away, to help her get over him, so she could live a normal life. His darker side, also, enjoyed seeing her squirm just a little too much for his own good.  
  
Jupiter felt faint. Was he implying that he had? Was he testing her loyalty? She hadn't the foggiest idea, but a Jupiter somewhere hidden in the recesses of her mind was shivering in delight. A few other Jupiters stared at her in horror.  
  
"Severus...What are you-" she cut herself off. "What a stupid question. You know damn well what he was saying!!", part of her said. Another part said, "No harm in asking..."  
  
"What do you mean, Severus?" she forced out finally.   
  
"You know exactly what I mean, Ms. Vrij," Severus replied, his wolfish grin returning. He released Jupiter, stood up, only to grab her hands again and pull her up with him. He swung her around so that her back was facing the wall between the exit toward the girl's and boy's common rooms. The fire flared behind him, casting an eerie glow upon the pair, causing Snape's glare to look almost demonic.   
  
"My precious, I was a Death Eater. You do know what they do, of course?" He asked, cocking his head to one side, as his sinister eyes remained glued to her face.  
  
"Just in case it has slipped your mind, they kill people for the Dark Lord. They torture them for information, maim them to kill the pain, destroy them for their beliefs," With each word he stepped closer to her, until she was pressed against the wall and Severus hovered over her.   
  
"They embodied every evil and vile thing upon this wretched planet, my darling," He growled nefariously, as he placed one hand on the wall above her shoulder and the other one caressed her cheek lightly.   
  
"Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?" He whispered viciously into her ear, as his hand held her head so she couldn't move away. He grinned inwardly, this would either send the girl screaming away or running into his arms. He was surprised he still had some of his old flare in him. He just hoped he hadn't scarred the girl…too much.   
  
Jupiter was frozen with surprise. What was going on? He'd never acted like this before, as far as she could remember. She always pictured him as a bitter man who was really a softie inside, never this. She could barely imagine him being so dominant  
  
Jupiter's inside's were arguing fiercely with one another.  
  
The part of her telling her to flee was dying down...She was scared yes, very intimidated, but she'd gotten into it all too fast. She had cared about him too much, too quickly. He had too much power over her for her to openly oppose him now...When he was so close...so...she inhaled shakily...close...  
  
The air in her lungs escaped in a pathetic whimper, and she stood there, voluntarily unmoving but trembling. She could feel his hot breath on her shoulder. She felt as if she would melt if he so much as breathed heavier on her neck.   
  
Severus released Jupiter from his stone cold grip. He pulled away from her, now he was merely standing before her. His eyes had quieted and he seemed to revert to the Snape he had been a few moments before.  
  
"That is my past, Jupiter. You have to accept the fact that I am no knight in shining armor, far from it, in fact," He declared delicately, not wishing to intimidate the girl further. He knew he had clearly surprised her, since she seemed frozen to the spot on the wall.  
  
"I care for you all too much to let you stumble into anything. You may leave now if you wish," He said with a wave of his hand. He didn't really want her to leave, but he knew that most people would walk quickly out and then run down the hall screaming madly for their lives. He had also detained her for quite some time from the ball that every student had been pining for, for ages. He just had to make her understand that she was professing her love for a man she didn't clearly understand.  
  
Jupiter's heart settled down a little as Snape let go of her. She leaned heavily on the wall, while she settled down. What had she expected? Had she thought he would kill her? Rape her? Now that she thought about it, probably not in the common room. Part of her was disappointed. She took a deep breath, and let it go.  
  
"I'm not going," she said very firmly, jaw set in that familiar determined way she had, when she was bent on getting what she wanted, which was most of the time.   
  
Snape raised a brow at her words and a soft grin spread across his face. He was happy that she hadn't done what he had expected.   
  
"Very well," He replied, leaning himself against the wall beside her. He eyed her for a minute, taking in her reaction. She seemed relieved, in a way, that he had backed down. But, she also seemed something else… dissatisfied, perhaps?   
  
"What's wrong, my dear?" He asked nonchalantly, as if nothing had just happened.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing, love, I was just sort of hoping you might ravish me without warning a moment ago, or threaten to kill me or something dangerous and, might I mention, extremely sexy...but I'm all right," she thought silently. No, it just wouldn't sound right if she tried to say it.  
  
She shook her head as if trying to dislodge an errant thought, "Nothing...Nothing, I'm fine," she said, and gave him a little smile.   
  
"You're fine?" Severus repeated incredulously, his onyx eyes peering askance at her. An obvious lie if he had ever heard one in his life. He turned toward her, blocking out the fire light once again. A lean hand was raised to her chin, as he gazed sharply into her alluring cerulean eyes.  
  
"Don't lie to me, love."  
  
What could she say? What could she possibly say to him? She couldn't very well tell him the truth, what would happen if she did? Hmmm...what would happen if she...but not.  
  
"I'm all right...I was just thinking, 's'all..." she mumbled lamely.   
  
"Don't stutter, love, it's not very becoming," He scolded playfully, twirling a bit of hair between his fingers. He knew very well what he was doing, but he still had some of his previous adrenaline running through his veins. A little harmless torture, a little teasing wouldn't hurt her.   
  
"You were thinking...?" He continued for her, waiting for her to finish the sentence herself.  
  
Why was he following her train of thought? It was like he was reading her mind, the tone he'd said it in...Oh gods, what if he could? Jupiter blushed a bright red, remembering all the times she'd been fantasizing about things she shouldn't have when she was around him.  
  
She shook herself mentally. It was a ridiculous idea. But her face was still burning with the blush, the things she'd thought of! She laughed nervously.  
  
"Now, you're the reticent one? Imagine what a few moments can do to a person," He ruminated, continuing to fiddle with her hair gently. He had noticed her cheeks flare a vivid scarlet, yet he overlooked it. He decided that, perhaps, he should try a different tactic.   
  
"Well, if you decide to tell me, I'll be over here," Severus stated with a smirk, as he turned to walk toward the couch. He sat down brusquely, waiting patiently for Jupiter to come to him.   
  
What was he doing? What was she doing? She found herself acting as if he were an innocent, yet she knew he wasn't. Maybe it was his avoidance of her, maybe it was his bitterness, but she'd always seen him as rather innocent. But now that she really thought about it, it seemed ridiculous. He was a grown man, and an ex-death eater at that! He'd seen people die...hell, if she'd interpreted correctly, he'd killed people before...so he was likely experienced in more ways than one. Certainly more than she. It was a strange thought.  
  
And she was being shy. She was not, by nature, a shy person. She was a flirt, a tease, a seductress. And he was making her falter.  
  
She slunk over to him. He knew she would, she knew she would. She did. She didn't know what to say to him...but maybe if she got close enough, she wouldn't have to say anything, it would say itself. She walked over to him and sat next to him, and kissed his shoulder meekly.   
  
It seemed that the tables had turned, as Jupiter crept over to where he was seated. His grin only twisted further at her compliant response. He slowly turned toward her, taking one of her hands in his. Gently, he kissed the palm, all the while staring into her charming sapphire eyes. A familiar wash of anguish swept over him, and his eyes flashed with an uncouth emotion. Yet, this time he didn't want to maim the girl before him, he wanted to do something, in his opinion much harder to ration.   
  
Without a moment for internal deliberation, he had Jupiter pinned against the back of the couch, his mouth planting wet kisses down her smooth neck. Inside he was yelling profusely at his animalistic behavior, yet his vindictive side merely grinned wickedly and thrust the ethical Snape away. He could feel the sheer power of the baleful mark upon his forearm coursing though his veins, goading on his frenzied acts. The battle within raged on as he endeavored vainly to fight off the powerful influence of the mark.  
  
Jupiter screamed in shock, tensing up as he attacked her, but only for a split second. Within moments, a previously dormant Jupiter had come to life and taken over, shoving her logical and moral thoughts away.  
  
She pulled his face to her and kissed him with a vigor such as she had only dreamed about before. She'd been waiting for this moment for six years. Six years of tension, longing, fantasizing within her own head all compressed into a single moment.  
  
She wrapped herself around him passionately, completely ignoring the part of her that politely pointed out that this was the COMMON ROOM and that they could be found any second. At this moment, she didn't care.   
  
Severus released a feral growl, as Jupiter returned with the same ferocity. He wanted to shove her away more than anything, yet the supremacy of the mark was not allowing him any say. He began pulling at the girls dress with an animalistic zeal, not bothering to be gentle with the girl. He whipped her around, so she was now beneath him, his eyes gleaming with a sinister passion.   
  
He couldn't believe what he was doing, he was acting like he had when he was a member of the Death Eaters, under direct influence of Voldemort. The fiend must be in the castle to have so much control over his actions. All he could do was watch in horror as he massacred the girl beneath him, praying to the gods that no one walked in.  
  
Jupiter couldn't think, couldn't comprehend. She felt him against her, yet it felt as if he wasn't there in some way. It was too strange. It was what she wanted, yes, but something was wrong. Even her libido agreed with her. It had to stop.  
  
She let go of him, and tried to push him away. She screamed again, but this time in resistance. He grabbed her wrists and held them down beside her shoulders so she couldn't push him away. Ye gods, the man was strong. She struggled vainly, eyes shut, shouting at him to stop with increasing desperation.   
  
His crazed eyes narrowed as Jupiter attempted to fight him, yet he hesitated for a moment. Multiple emotions began to race across his face, as his sane part attacked with a stronger ardor. He pushed away from her quickly, his eyes wide as he sucked in a large breath of air, as if he had been holding it for the past few minutes. He had lost control, and he had almost hurt her. He closed his eyes in agony, the dark thoughts still rushing like mad through his cluttered mind. It was all too much for him to handle.   
  
He stood up suddenly, taking a few staggering steps away from her, his hands clenched in an effort to gain control. Everything was spinning, it seemed the very reality about him and dissolved and left him in a whirlpool of haunting images and tortured cries. The world had lost its mind. The two ends of the scale began to mix together, mixing the bad and the good, the scared and profane. He unleashed a cry of agony as he clutched his head in desperation, he couldn't handle this twisted reality. He made a dash for the door, he had to retreat from the room before he actually harmed Jupiter. With a slam of the common room door, he was gone.  
  
Jupiter lay, stunned, on the couch. She took a moment to regroup. There had been so many mood changes in the past twenty minutes, and Jupiter was almost finding it hard to keep up. She was alone, and worried about Severus, and disappointed, and her body was aching with desire, and it was all so strange...  
  
She stood shakily. Her dress was torn and hanging off her listlessly, her long hair was bedraggled, her headband hanging halfway down the length of black tangles.  
  
Her wrists were still red from struggling. She stood, and went to the dorm and lay down on her bed, dress torn, with welts on her stomach and thighs from Snape's fingernails. She slept. 


	9. Chapter 9

Jupiter awoke late the following morning. She dressed in her normal clothing, and wandered downstairs. She walked into the Great Hall and noted that neither Severus, nor Dumbledore were at the staff table. This made her slightly worried, but it was nothing compared to when Dumbledore's large, good-natured tawny owl landed in her soup and thrust out it's leg. Jupiter removed the letter and read it.  
  
"Dear Miss Vrij,  
You are to take the day off. It is necessary that I speak to you about someone. Please report to my office immediately.  
Professor Dumbledore"  
  
Jupiter gulped as Dumbledore's owl ate the rest of her breakfast, partly off its own feet. She felt as if she'd just read her death sentence. She stood quietly, and left, to the surprised exclamations of some of her friends.  
  
He wouldn't fire Severus, would he? Would she be expelled? No, she couldn't be expelled for this, could she? After all, she was the "innocent victim". Then again, the age of consent was sixteen, and besides, they hadn't actually slept together. But Severus was 35, and she was 17, and that made for a lot of difference. Not to mention he was her Professor, and Head of House, and-  
  
Jupiter arrived at Dumbledore's office entrance. She knocked softly, almost hoping she wouldn't be heard.  
  
"Come in." came Dumbledore's voice from inside. Jupiter pulled the door open and stepped in.  
  
"You wanted to see me?" she said. Dumbledore did not look his normal cheery self. He looked extremely disappointed, and Jupiter's heart sunk.  
  
"I did." said the old man. "Jupiter, perhaps you should sit down." She sat, resisting the urge to break into an explanation.  
  
"Jupiter, I am to understand that Severus means a great deal to you." Dumbledore said. Jupiter was a little put off. She wasn't sure why he was going about this the way he was.  
  
"Well, Hogwarts wouldn't be the same without him. He's a wonderful professor, and-"  
  
"You know that wasn't what I mean, Jupiter."  
  
Jupiter sighed and looked at the floor. "Yes. He means more to me than anyone."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "You love him."  
  
Jupiter continued to stare at her shoes. "I do. Very much."  
  
"Then you deserve to know that I must ask him to do something extremely unpleasant, and possibly dangerous."  
  
Jupiter's head snapped up. "What? What's he going to do?"  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "This may be hard for you to accept, Jupiter, but Voldemort has returned to power, not too long ago."  
  
"I know." said Jupiter, and it was Dumbledore's turn to look surprised. "My mother owled me about it." She did not mention that her mother was there at the time, and that her father was rather excited about it.  
  
"And you know that Severus used to be a spy for us?"  
  
Jupiter shook her head, but didn't look surprised. "You want him to do it again," she stated plainly. Dumbledore nodded. "But why didn't you just have him tell me?"  
  
"Two reasons," said Dumbledore, "First of all, he needed to know that you love him, and you aren't angry with him. Otherwise he would have been afraid to speak to you at all. Second, since he does mean so much to you, I need to ask your permission."  
  
"What? My permission? But Professor, I'm only a student, and why should I have any say in-"  
  
"You are not just any student. You were assigned the abilities to accept and reject students and so on for a reason. And I ask you because love is the most important thing there is, there can be. I would not wish for this to happen against his or your will."  
  
Jupiter looked very thoughtful. "I-I don't know," she said. "On one hand, I recognize the need for us to know what's going on inside Voldemort's circle. On the other hand, I don't want him to go. However, if he stayed, I'd feel so guilty and-"  
  
Dumbledore held up a silencing hand. "Jupiter, I gave you the day off for a reason. Now, I must attend breakfast, but you may stay in my quarters. Please do not return to the school itself. I will have food sent up to you."  
  
Jupiter nodded. Dumbledore lay a warm hand on her shoulder and said, "I have every confidence, Jupiter, that whatever choice you make will be the right one." And with that, he left.  
  
After watching the door shut behind Dumbledore, Jupiter stared dumbly around for a bit. Fawkes was sitting on his perch, looking at her with interest. She scritched his head lightly, and he cooed.  
  
Slowly, Jupiter turned and opened the door to Dumbledore's bedroom. What she saw broke her heart in two. There, sitting on the edge of the bed, his face in his hands, Snape. She gasped and he looked up. His eyes looked shockingly like he'd been crying, but it wasn't something Jupiter could imagine, nor did she want to.  
  
She rushed to his side and put her arms around him. "Severus, what's wrong?" she whispered.  
  
Snape shook his head and said nothing. She gave him a squeeze and looked onto his face. He was avoiding her eyes.  
  
"You think I'm mad at you, don't you?" Jupiter said. Snape did not reply. "I'm not, you know. I'm really not."  
  
"You ought to be." His voice was soft and croaky.  
  
"How often do I do what I ought to?"  
  
Snape nodded. They sat in silence for a long while, and Jupiter didn't know what to say.  
  
"Do you want to go?" she said finally.  
  
"No." Snape replied. "I really don't. But I want all this to end. I'm the only person who can do this."  
  
"My mother could," Jupiter said quietly. "But I don't know if she would."  
  
"That's the problem," said Snape, "I'm the only one who can be counted upon."  
  
Jupiter didn't disagree. "I don't want you to go, either. But I wouldn't feel right, keeping you here just because I want you."  
  
Snape nodded. "I will go."  
  
Jupiter nodded. "And I'll let you. If," she gave a smile and poked Snape in the ribs, "If you promise to owl me whenever you can."  
  
Snape smiled slightly. He stood and seated himself at Dumbledore's desk. Jupiter lay down on the bed. She now had time to admire the room. Like his office, Dumbledore's room was warm and welcoming. His bed was covered in a thick comforter made of purple satin, with the Hogwarts crest on the front. The drapes flanking either side of the bay window (which commanded a great view of most of the grounds and had a zoom in option) were flowery and kind of corny. The desk Severus was seated at was made of polished oak, and beside it was a matching nightstand. There was a bookshelf next to the bed, and that was mostly it. The walls and ceiling were painted a jaunty sort of blue colour.  
  
"You know, Severus, I've never heard you laugh."  
  
"I don't do it very often. I'm rarely amused."  
  
"That's too bad."  
  
The door opened, and a tiny house elf scooted in. "I have brought Miss and Sir their food!" she squeaked.  
  
Jupiter smiled. "Thank you very much, Moppy!"  
  
Moppy beamed and set the tray of sandwiches, toast, and pumpkin juice down on the nightstand, then she ran off.  
  
"You know the house elves by name?" Snape said.  
  
"Not all of them," Jupiter said, helping herself to some cinnamon raisin toast. "Have something to eat."  
  
"Not hungry."  
  
"Severus," Jupiter said sternly, mouth half-full, "I will not have you saving the world on an empty stomach."  
  
The corners of Snape's mouth twitched up slightly. He reached for a half-sandwich.  
  
Jupiter sighed. She may only have a day with him, but a day was longer than she'd ever had before, and she was determined to make the best of it.  
  
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Fin! Yes, okay, sorry it's so lame. It works well with the sequel, though. 


End file.
